Sunday, January 10th—a date I will never forget. Even now, I feel almost lifted off the ground when I recall the Holy Father celebrating my son's baptism.
His gaze is so deep and mystical, radiating light. It seems to say: have faith, always more faith, especially when you are grieving and facing trials larger than yourself.
Carletto is a joy and happiness I had never known before. Playing with a smiling bundle of life is an immense gift from God—one He gave, perhaps, because I found the courage to bring him into the world after the difficult journey with my Manuela, a sweet child but facing many serious struggles.
Serious, I mean: she cannot see, cannot speak, and walks with difficulty. Her behavior is often bewildering to me. Yet it was she who taught me to pray—who made me understand that there exists "Someone who loves us and never abandons us."
Through Manuela, I have known families like mine and young people full of life. To be able to count, in moments of need, on true friendship—that helps you face what comes next.
I believe it is vital to keep fighting, never growing weary. The sun is often hidden by storm clouds and rain falls, but the clear sky always returns.
These words may sound easy to some. They are not. They come with Manuela's cries—she wants me, she demands my presence beside her—while Carletto watches me, smiling, from his father's arms.
Brunella d'Amico, 1981