From Chapter 1November 17, 1989Dear Cardinal Lustiger, Your Eminence:My name is Daniella Stonebrook Blue. I am-or was-by profession anastronomer. We are strangers to each other. Your name was given to me by awoman on a bus as we were traveling across New Mexico. Because of herinsistence, I am writing to you about this dark period of my life. I need to speakto you about the matter of light.Light is the alphabet of God. I knew this when I was born and then I forgot.This is the first time I have understood it as an adult woman. Even as I preparedto write these words, I didn’t know what they implied until they appeared onthe page.