Enrico Gratton: Pia, Do You Remember

Dear Pia, my love:

I had a very special relationship with you, a relationship in which I had the strongest desire to see you, to feel the touch of your hand, to enjoy your presence during every minute of my life. I felt the need for your physical presence everywhere I went, at home, at parties, when we were alone and when we were with others. Do you remember when I returned from my trips, we had to stop on the way home to kiss each other? We could not wait to have our special contact!

Do you remember when I first met you when you were 15 and you were coming to our house to do homework with my sister Ida? Everything about you attracted me, your dark warm eyes, your radiant smile, the elegance of your body, the harmony of your movements, the clarity of your voice.

Do you remember that house in Grottaferrata, were we had a blackboard in that big room and I were doing homework with my brothers, sisters and friends? I will never forget when you would walk up to the blackboard and with the greatest ease and grace demonstrated the most difficult mathematical theorems. I was ecstatically listening to you, but I never told you my feelings.

As you were growing and becoming the beautiful woman of my dreams, I had no doubt that you would be the love of my life. But I was not ready to talk to you because to reach my goal faster, to have you forever, I had to finish my studies first, so that I can then fully dedicate myself to you. Do you remember the day of my last exam when I called you and you told me that you had a boyfriend? And I said to you: well, this guy will have to compete very hard.

Pia, you filled and shaped my life. What I admired in you was your simplicity, your childlike wonder, your joyful vision of the world, your desire to be perfect in everything you were doing, your inexhaustible energy, your sure judgment, your professional attitude in your job, your passion in everything you were doing. And most of all, I will never forget your dark captivating eyes.

Do you remember when you would say to me: If you are a good scientist, you should invent a way to make us stay forever young and happy. And I said: sure, I known the way and I will tell you. But it only works if you love me. Pia, you have always been young, beautiful and happy .

It was beautiful to have Claudio and Fabio, and you also wanted a daughter. I remember your joy when Valentina arrived in 1985. Pia, you had the most unconventional and beautiful relationship with our children. A relationship not based on authority or possession, but on love. You were always teaching them to enjoy the world around them, with your example. It was so touching to observe Claudio and Fabio, and even Valentina, taking care of their small, darling Pia. Do you remember in ‘87, when we were in Rio and you wanted to go dancing the Samba? Claudio and Fabio went with you, to protect you, but you told them to say that your were their girlfriend. Do you remember how much we laughed when a jealous girlfriend of Claudio’s called home to ask him to explain that pretty girl she had seen shopping with him?

Pia, I loved to see you dancing. Dancing was so natural to you. In dancing your elegant body was moving so sensuously and harmoniously that I was unable to keep my eyes off you. Even in dance you wanted to be perfect. You took many dance courses and participated in competitions because you knew you were beautiful to watch.

Pia, you were my perfect travel companion. Your impassioned desire to know new places, to talk to the people of the different countries, to appreciate the diversity of the cultures made all our travel so memorable. You took language courses to better communicate with others. Pia, your love for photography and arts has given us the most beautiful memories of our trips.

My love and my attraction to you grew each day stronger, each day deeper, until someone took you, my beautiful little flower, to have you all to himself.

Pia, you are everything to me. You are my love and my guide, my strength and my serenity. As the years passed, you were becoming more beautiful and attractive. Even the night before you died, after our caresses and our love, I told you that I liked you more than ever, and you know that it was true. And that last night, (were you sensing something?) you were more beautiful and warm than ever.

A kiss from your Enrico