Just a few weeks ago marked one month since cancer took Ascensión Alegre. Luz's mother and Ernesto Morales' life partnerThe news shook her closest circle, but it also ignited a small spark that today has materialized in the form of a children's book: My little Light, an illustrated story that originates from a farewell letter and transforms into a lasting tribute to family love.
Far from remaining in the private sphere, that letter has become a publishing project that aims to support other families in difficult times. The story will be presented this afternoon at 7:00 p.m. at the State Public Library.Published by Ruiz Morote, it aims to introduce young children to a story about loss, but also about hope and the indelible mark left by those who are no longer here.
From an intimate letter to an illustrated children's story
The origin of My little Light It goes back to Ascen's last days in the hospital, when, aware of the seriousness of her illness, she decided to start writing a letter to her daughter. Ernesto recalls that That was very difficult for him because he felt it was a way of giving up.He had to accept that there would be no shared tomorrow. Despite the hardship of the moment, he managed to complete several pages filled with tenderness, messages of love, and wishes for Luz's future.
Those "a couple of absolutely gorgeous sheets of paper“,” as her husband describes them, were kept with the idea of giving them to their daughter when she was older. Time passed, the pain settled, and Ernesto began attending grief support groups, where a story he read in one of the sessions finally ignited the idea: to transform part of that letter into an illustrated story that could be shared beyond the family circle.
The creative process was not a simple transcription. Ernesto confesses that He took some phrases verbatim, added others, and left out the most intimate passages.The original letter is much longer and more personal, and there were aspects that, out of respect for Ascen's memory and for the Light itself, had to remain private. Even so, the essence of the message remains: a mother saying goodbye, but who at the same time remains, in another way, in her daughter's life.
The result is a story designed to be read as a family, especially with children who are coping with the loss of a loved one. Its creators explain that the tone avoids excessive drama and focuses on showing that The emotional bond can remain alive even when the person is no longer thereIt's not about wallowing in sadness, but about offering words that can support grief in a gentler way.
The essential role of Belén Patón's illustrations
To give visual form to that story, Ernesto had the help of Belén Patón, Ascen's best friend and a key figure in the creation of My Little LightShe took on the challenge of translating into images the emotional universe behind each phrase, relying both on the letter and on the memories shared with the protagonist.
Morales emphasizes that the dimension Belén brings to the book goes far beyond a mere literal illustration. His drawings do not directly reproduce what the text says.Instead, they construct their own visual narrative, full of symbols and details that reflect Ascen's character. These images engage with the words, but at the same time expand the meaning of the story.
Personal closeness was crucial to the final result. Belén not only knew Ascen, but also shared years of friendship, confidences, and projects with her. That's why, when she began sketching the first scenes of the story, His hand didn't tremble when rescuing gestures, glances, and ways of being that those who dealt with her immediately recognize.
There is one particularly significant moment: when Luz saw the first sketch, she declared without hesitation:That's Mom“For the family, it was confirmation that the book was on the right track. The girl’s reaction shows the extent to which the illustrations capture more than just a physical appearance: they capture the essence of the person, their way of being in the world, that which, ultimately, is missed when someone is gone.”
Ernesto is convinced that Another illustrator without that emotional connection would not have been able to fill the story in the same wayThe creative freedom with which Belén has worked is based precisely on that mutual trust and the shared desire to pay an honest tribute, without sugarcoating reality, but also without wallowing in the pain.
A book about grief, hope, and love that never fades
From the very beginning, Ernesto's intention in adapting Ascen's letter was not to write a sad story, but to construct a narrative that revolved around the hope, love, and the idea of presence beyond deathHe himself emphasizes that the story was not born "to seek sadness", but to leave something luminous, something that could accompany Luz and any reader who goes through a loss.
One of the closing lines of the book has already become one of the most discussed by those who have read it, especially people who have also recently experienced loss: “You just have to close your eyes and think of me to feel me close.”In short, it encapsulates the idea that love does not disappear with physical death, but continues to beat in memory and in everyday gestures.
In the daily life of Ernesto and his daughter, Ascen's presence remains very much aliveHe says they talk about her every day, that they bring her up in conversation naturally, and that they try to integrate her memory into everyday life without making it a taboo subject. The story has become, in a way, another tool for keeping that connection alive.
In addition to the book, Ernesto decided to format the original letter and give it to Luz on her fifth birthday. Since then, That text has been read many times at homeThe story, for its part, has found its own place in family rituals: there is a scene that he remembers with special affection, one night in bed, the two of them alone, when they read the complete story for the first time and the girl said to him: "Thank you very much for making the story, dad."
That expression of gratitude encapsulates the profound meaning of the project: beyond the publication, the presentations, and the interest it is generating, My Little Light functions above all as an intimate bridge between a mother and her daughterA bridge that, when shared with other readers, can help many families put words to what is sometimes so difficult to explain.
The story of a family marked by music, teaching, and early grief
Ernesto and Ascen shared much more than just their life as a couple. Before they fell in love, They were friends for years, fellow exam takers, and musicians.They met in the same settings, classrooms, and academic programs, but they never quite connected on a romantic level… until, in 2015, everything fell into place.
From then on, their relationship progressed naturally, like those who have been walking side by side for a long time. They moved in together, got married, and, for work reasons, moved to ToledoLater, circumstances brought them back to the province of Ciudad Real: “We returned to Manzanares,” Ernesto recalls. She got a teaching position in La Solana, while he currently teaches in Porzuna.
That September, now settled back in the area, came the news of Ascen's pregnancy. On the surface, life seemed to be moving forward, with plans, changes, and the excitement of starting a family. Then came the coronavirus pandemic, the lockdown, the empty classrooms, and like so many other couples, That period forced them to retreat and adapt to a routine marked by uncertainty.
Just as the country was beginning to lift its head and recover a certain degree of normality,Life ran us over.“That’s how it all started,” Ernesto summarizes. In just a month and a half, a cancer that appeared too late changed her life. There were hospital stays, a few days back home, and finally, the farewell. Ascen had one of those tumors that barely gives you time to react, get organized, or come to terms with what’s happening.
Despite the difficulty of the process, Ernesto highlights the attitude with which she faced the final stretch. Her demeanor in the hospital left a lasting impression on the staff who cared for her....to the point of becoming a role model for those who cared for her. That strength, combined with her reserved and shy nature, contrasts with the public exposure that the publication of the story represents today, something he himself acknowledges with a mixture of modesty and necessity.
Presentations, audience reception, and the social function of storytelling
The first official presentation of My little Light takes place in the State Public LibraryThe event, which includes the participation of the Ruiz Morote publishing house and the presence of family, friends, and readers, will take place. According to Ernesto, The edition of the story is practically sold out even before the official presentation, a clear sign of the interest the story has generated.
For him, it remains a paradoxical situation. He recalls that Ascen was “Very shyAnd that, if he could see everything that's happening around his letter, he'd probably "smack her" for exposing a part of his life like that. However, that same shyness coexisted with a great ability to connect with people, especially his students, something that now extends to a wider audience.
After its premiere in Ciudad Real, the book has new stops planned. The next performances will be in Manzanares, on February 7th, and in Alcázar de San Juan, on the 14th.Thus, the project maintains a strong connection with the geography of La Mancha, the territory in which the family developed their personal and professional lives and where Ascen's figure is especially remembered.
Beyond specific acts, Ernesto argues that the value of My little Light resides in its ability to to bring the reality of death and grief closer to children in a careful wayIn a context where it is still difficult to talk openly about these issues with children, the story is presented as a tool to open conversations at home or in the classroom, without drama, but without unnecessary detours.
The author himself emphasizes that the story can "touch us" even if we don't know the real details that inspired it. The narrative is designed to stand alone, like a short literary piece that speaks of love, memory and companionshipAnyone who wants to go further will find, behind each page, the concrete life of a family who has decided to share a very delicate part of their story in the hope of helping others.
With all this experience, My little Light It becomes much more than a simple story: it is a mother's legacy to her daughter, the way a father transforms pain into something that can be read and reread, and the work of an illustrator who puts a picture to a bond that continues to shine. Through words and images, the book shows how love can continue to guide our steps of a girl and of all the people who approach its pages, even when absence hurts and life forces one to learn to walk in another way.