Do you remember me? I wonder how you’re doing, where you are. You’d be proud of me if you knew how much progress I made. I just want to thank you. For so many things. For showing me Helen Keller. For giving me that journal. For making my life easier and treating me like the human being I am even though I couldn’t say a word.

You were an important piece of my ability to express myself. You made me fall in love with language. You taught me to write and read and love myself more. You showed me that I didn’t need to be like every body else in order to flourish. You were the grandmother I never had, extraordinary and incredibly kind. It is such a shame you can’t hear about this accomplishment—your accomplishment.

Nothing in all the human languages can say how grateful I am for you. I hope you know somehow, somewhere, how much you mean to me. How fucking amazing you are.

Forever grateful,

Your student.