When I began middle school, what I would do with my life suddenly became an important question to ask myself. At that time my only true passion was ballet. All of my hard work was built up for the moment when I joined a professional ballet school my freshman year of high school. Dancing in the professional division required me to take ten classes a week in addition to rehearsals for an average of 30 hours of ballet a week. This was a big moment for me as a dancer and as a person, because that year would determine whether or not I would actually dedicate my life to making my dream a reality. To this day, I question whether or not pursuing a more academic route was the right choice and like Nana, if I will be waiting for the one moment that would bring me back to my true passion.

I believe Lindsey Addario recounts Nana’s missed chance at love in her memoir because her grandmother’s loss would be her opportunity to pursue her passion regardless of the disadvantages. When Lynsey began her career as a photographer for the New York Times, traveling to different countries on assignment meant her social life would constantly be changing. Pursuing a career that requires travel is a sacrifice of love and family, among other things; however, for Lindsey, it was a sacrifice she was willing to make for her passion.

The author sees her passion as Nana’s version of “true love” that she can not wait 20 years for. It is important for her to tell this story not only because it affected the way she envisioned her passion, but it is also important for the reader to understand why she made the choices and sacrifices in her memoir. Because in the end, when placed in the difficult position of choosing between her boyfriend or traveling to the middle east after 911, Lynsey knew she could not let the opportunity slip through her fingers.