LETTERS TO SOFIA I (DANCE FOREVER)
Dear Sofia, my beautiful and blessed granddaughter!
I want to say right at the beginning that you came into the world much loved, much awaited, supported by many prayers still in your mother’s womb, and that there was music around all of us during your mother’s pregnancy.
Grandpa will tell you a little about our family history, because I like to write and I ended up making a living writing and talking.
You will get to know me a lot more, since my childhood there in São Paulo. An interesting story, I think, and I keep thinking about you 30 years from now reading these letters and thinking, wow, my grandfather is a nice guy, he tried to live life in the best way, always thinking about doing the best, without hypocrisy, and that, yes, he has many defects that are being improved with time.
You were born at 3 am on a magical Thursday, May 3rd. I’m that big man looking at you through the window of the delivery room, crying next to that beautiful girl, hugging, watching Keka bring you into the world. That girl is Sarah, the best aunt you could ever be lucky enough to have in this world. She is a girl in her early twenties, very smart, has a beautiful smile, is at university and she is a lighthouse in our lives. She is sensitive and practical. She stayed by your side all night, in the humanized delivery room, along with her father, a great fighter, in every way. You will be very proud of him.
I could hear Jessica crying, and I wasn’t sure if it was her, I walked back and forth down the hall with my inseparable Kindle in my pocket. But I couldn’t read one of those countless books, I prayed, and I ended up opening the Bible on that device. While reading some psalms, I saw the movement in the hallway, and you went to another room, you were about to arrive. Sarah and I ended up getting lost in those hallways, until we finally got to that little room with the glass window. It was like a dream, we stood there watching the doctors and nurses, your father there inside the delivery room and Jessica, lying down, looked at us from time to time, and we waved.
After five minutes Sarah started crying and saying, “Look at that, it's coming up”, I was crying too and couldn't say anything, and then we heard her crying. Welcome beloved granddaughter! They put you in your mother's arms, then your father’s, and then suddenly they picked you up and brought you to the window, so we saw you for the first time. Beautiful, like your mother. You stayed there for a while, then they did some tests and then you left, in your father's arms, for further tests. Sarah and I stood there, watching your mother, and then we went outside to wait for you to go to your room. We ended up sleeping sitting at the reception, and around 6:00 we went home to rest.
Today is Father’s Day, and because I’m a father, I’m your grandfather, so it’s about time you got to know a little about all of us.
Your mother is an amazing person, beautiful, practical and smart too, like your aunt Sarah. They are very similar in many ways, in features, in voice, in heart.
Sarah has my eyes, her mother my walk, and her writing style is similar to mine.
I also followed and saw her birth, and Sarah's as well, and they were certainly the happiest moments of my life.
Jessica is tall, strong, a brown belt in jiu jitsu, studious, generous. I have always been very proud of her, and in time I will tell these stories. She was a beautiful child, they even probed her to advertise on TV, just imagine a very beautiful child.
She gave an emotional speech when she finished kindergarten, and that speech moved me a lot because the following week your aunt Sarah would be born, a difficult pregnancy, so Keka (your mother's nickname) was our joy and inspiration, mine and your's grandmother, in those holy days.
In addition to jiu jitsu, your mom likes to dance.
Classical dance.
Many, many Saturday afternoons and evenings a week I would take her to rehearse at the National Theater, the ballet school had a gala performance every end of the year. That dance world was impressive, the music, the costumes, the whole discipline around the art. I would sit there, watching rehearsals, and I already knew that it would stay in my fondest memories.
The performances were on Saturday and Sunday, and what a show. Great dancers and special guest dancers, professionals, and I've come to know them by name and admire them, years after those incredible years. Magnificent orchestra, wonderful classical repertoire.
Dear Sofia, it was something truly grand, and how proud I was when your mother walked on stage, tall, slender, strong, disciplined, and with a charming smile. She did en pointe, very difficult position in ballet, and played several roles in different years.
Copellia was one of my favorites. My daughter, my life and hope for overcoming in many ways, She and Sarinha, as I call her sister.
I would talk to Sarinha, when I took her to school, about a play I was going to write, “SQSW 300”, and we had a lot of laughs on those routes at 6:30 in the morning, then I'll tell you these stories.
And now you too, my granddaughter, represent a new phase, new expectations, renewed hopes, be certain that I will always be by your side too.
Your mother is a delicate dancer and also a great fighter, and she will guide you through life as in gentle dance steps, showing you the possibilities to overcome obstacles in this great show, with passion, dreams and discipline.
Grandpa will be there in that audience, in the numbered chairs, back there, proud of you, and saying, there are my beloved girls.
VALDIR SILVA
Valdir Silva 