The Letters

What memories do we let fade away as the needs of the present day consume us? What magic moments, what lost loves, what laughter and tears dim and darken as years go by? For most of us, those forgotten moments are too difficult to recapture . But Dr. Mary Ellen Grasso -- called Picola by some, Maria Elena or Marielena by others - - was one of the lucky few able to relive the deams, the pain, the sorrow and joy of growing, finding love, and building a family. In this memoir, Mary Ellen revisits her life's journey through the letters she thought were forever lost. Her strong family ties and her unique perspective on life helped her face heartbreak, the loss of loved ones, the traumatic illness of her child, and a terrifying accident that almost took the life of her one true love. From her childhood in a small Pennsylvania town to her exciting adventures in Mexico, to finding love with a stranger -- a romantic Italian national -- finding her calling as an educator, and seizing opportunities as they came her way, she shows a love of life and a curiosity for what she might find around the next bend in the road.