Dear Maria

I never knew you, but so many people I'm acquainted with knew you and Indio, down through the year's and knew of the ordeals you and him experienced.
I know that you were together for many years and you somehow found the love and stamina to serve him as a wife he loved. You must have suffered really bad with the cancer, and I'm sure if you loved him as much as I do, you watched him suffer, as he slowly lost you, bearing up as well as he could trying to be the support you needed to try and live. I'm sorry you died, but I thank you for the chance to get to know this unique man, and be able to spend time with him, these days.
He truly is a special man, and as you well know a frustrating one at times. I think I may have seen you one time, back years ago, working in the cafe down at the convenience store, when I stopped there one day buying hamburgers. Your long brownish blonde hair was pulled back in a ponytail and you had an apron on and had a broom sweeping the floor.
Indio's told me so many stories about you and your year's together, it's as if I know you well. You must have really dealt with a lot of grief, when he'd come home, with all his problems. I salute you and the guts, grace and love it took to be with this man during those times. I know you had to be a great woman/lady for this man to have stayed with you and loved you so much. You gave of yourself, unselfishly when you allowed him to father children, with other women and then wanted to accept them as your own, something I don't think I could have done. I'm too selfish with my man, and would get very hostile, should another woman, want to get near him.
Once again, my hat's off to the lady, who Indio loved so much and I would never try to take your memory away from him or mar it in any way. It's part of what make's him the man he is today.
Sincerely,
Nita