Dedication

Alden & Alicia Gajo

Today, on the 9th of April, 2018, my father turned ninety-three, and my mother was to turn ninety in July. They celebrated sixty-eight years of a committed marriage filled with passion for life, understanding, and patience. Originally from a third-world country, where knowledge is often the only attainable form of wealth, my father pursued a career in law amidst the ruins of World War II. Meanwhile, my mother, already caring for six children, completed her teaching degree while making a living through dressmaking. Together, they dedicated their lives to providing for seven children—not with material luxuries, but through endless sacrifices so that each of us could pursue our professional aspirations.

Completing this book has been a long and bittersweet journey, especially after my parents passed away nine months apart in April 2018 and January 2019. Wherever you are, Papa and Mama, I love you dearly and am endlessly grateful for the gift of life and the journey that shaped who I am today.