My dearest Paula

I learned about your passing on Corina’s birthday. A day meant for celebration became one of tears, shock, and disbelief. That grief stayed with us for weeks and months. Even now, pain comes in waves—but so does inspiration. So does your lasting impact.

You had a stellar career, one in which you were always “the best man for the job,” though society did not make it easy for you. In truth, you were better than the man they expected, and for that you paid a price that was never yours to pay. As women, we still face daily biases and absurd discriminations. You took all those lemons and built a lemonade empire, transforming hardship into wisdom, and followers into a community that cherished every word you shared.

I was one of those followers. We first met in Singapore in 2020, but it was in Alicante, in May 2022, during my first coaching session with you, that I felt true awe. Awe at your craft, your presence, your ability to read the fears we bury deepest. As a coach, you saw leadership where I only saw “not enoughness.” Our first session was on listening skills, and it remains a lesson I will work on until my last day.

You forged professional growth where no one thought it possible. You believed in “Design Your Life,” and you embodied it fully. You designed your own path with clarity, with purpose, and with joy.

Your death was a shock, because I somehow believed titans like you never die. That your soul was too kind, your mind too brilliant, to ever be touched by mortality. And yet, I’ve come to understand: your mission here was complete. You succeeded. You evolved to your next, much greater step.

We remain here, struggling and learning. You are already ahead, showing us what it means to live - and to evolve - with courage, brilliance, and grace.

With love,Gabriela