Books can change our lives.
I met Gloria in November of 2021, at a cozy circle of fellow readers at the Palace Pier book club, a gathering place where stories came to life and friendships blossomed. Although I had been a resident for several years, I knew only a handful of people so I joined the club in order to meet and be with like-minded paperback bookworms like me.
It was my very first time at a book club so for fear of embarrassment, I read the book, made notes, studied the author and felt confident that I could say something semi-intelligent about the story. The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett. This novel tells the story of twin Black sisters, , who take different life paths—one embracing her Black identity in a Southern town and the other passing as white, with themes of sisterhood, family bonds, race, societal expectations among others. I later learned that Gloria had several sisters whom she loved and missed, and that she spoke with authority when she said that relationships with sisters could be as deep as the ocean,
Supportive and nurturing though they were miles apart,
Bonded through shared experience;
Sometimes complex and rivalrous;
Most times protective and loyal.
At the end of our first meeting, Gloria approached me and with great generosity, praised the comments I had made about the story and its sister characters. There was a brief exchange during which I heard a hint of Spanish on her perfect English. She was delighted and so was I to find that we had so much more in common, beyond our interpretations of the novel, which, she confessed with a wink and a smile that she had not read completely.
I explained that I am from Argentina, a place like so many others that she had visited, and about which she had so many great memories.
We became friends. For three years, I trusted her with my stories, she trusted me with hers. No matter the personal losses she endured in recent months, I always felt she was really listening and supporting me in my own mundane struggles.
Gloria’s charm was immediately evident. Her smile was welcoming, her laughter bubbly spontaneous and sincere. She was quick to offer lunch, or dinner, a chat or a phone call that might result in a lively gathering of friends and conversation.
We had recently discussed the Paris Olympics, the deeply symbolic opening and closing ceremonies of the “City of Light” a city she knew and loved, the glamour, the richness, the history, and she spoke of the time she spent as an au-pair moving through the neighbourhoods where she could find the best and most affordable meals. Not a moment was wasted learning French and visiting as many art galleries as her time would allow.
Her feet, like her mind, never rested. The cruises, the winters in Europe, and plans for much more.
I can still picture her enthusiasm over the prospect of another trip, the sparkle in her voice when we discussed a passage from the Colombian historian, whom she recommended for her journalistic excellence, Diana Uribe, and the resulting thoughtful discussions that had us seeing present-day characters and life in new ways.
Through our discussions, I got to know a person with boundless curiosity, a fierce passion for learning, and a remarkable ability to effortlessly reach into the heart of those she met.
Books can change our lives.
Gloria remains a part of my story, a chapter that I will always treasure.
