Yesterday was my dad's birthday. He would have turned 67 years old. For some reason this year hurt much more than before, the first one without him, and I don't understand why. I spend all day wanting to cry without being able to do so, because I have to keep a brave face for my mom and my sister, but I'm hurting deep because I miss him so much.
However, he didn't liked to see my sad and always did his best to put a smile on my face whenever I was in pain, so, with that in mind, I tried to be calmed and took care of the plans for the day.
My dad was Born in Caracas September 4th 1954. The eldest of two brothers, he was a funny an vibrant man, with a kind heart an a youthful spirit. We called him Larry as reference of one of The Three Stooges, but his name was Edgar.
He loved music, Fania All Stars was one of his favorites (And cried when Celia Cruz died), Rock and Roll from the 80's, amosgst others. He had a musical group where he grew up and they played Gaita, that's why, like me, Christmas was his favorite time of the year.
He loved food but was picky with it because didn't liked to much stuff in the recipe. Always said fr example with cumin: Don't put to much because it's to aromatic. My mom and I had a hard time with this because if he liked something he didn't left for anybody but if he didn't liked it, silence in all the house as he was sneaking to the backyard to feed the dog. Ugh, that still bothers me!
Also, he read a lot and knew history better than any of my teachers in highschool. I can talk about all day long about his youth, his anecdotes, his work, his love for us, but since it will be as painful for me and too long for you, I'll highlight some features that made him the best dad ever.
He was a prankster
Yesteday as I was relating an anecdote with my brother I refer to him as a prankster. Well, it's hereditary because my dad was one too. There is not a soul that he has known and that he has not given a nickname, ever! He dearly love to laugh even if that meant picking on others, of course, he didn't crossed the line between joking and bullying, he was very respectful in that matter and always said "Don't do what you don't like done on you", but despite that, he always, always, found ways to make people laugh hard, and to make the days happier.
He was loved in the work place
My dad was an Aeronautical Telecommunications Technical Supervisor near Caracas. He worked there for 35 years before retiring due to an illness. But those who remember him, always do it with the highest praise, and not like the customary thing that everybody talks well of the deceased after their gone, no, they called him, send him gifts, visited him, even when he was the one who lived farthest of the airport. They came to his funeral, and stayed with us for a few hours before hitting the road back home again, and during that time, they shared their experiences with him, and who much he had teach them during their years of friendship, and although he always said that the workplace was for work and not for socializing, he also highly esteemed them.
He loved my mom very much
They met around 1974 but got together in 1978 I believe. They were like oil and water those two, but one couldnt be without the other. He was there for her when she graduated college and always kissed her at New Years celebration. They were partners in crime and he acknowledged near the end that he loved her and that if she did he would be nothing, giving us a piece of advice:
Physical love is temporary, that chemistry that everybody talks so much about, that burns out; You see true love in times of need, when that person you chose to spend your life with is still there. When you need to be fed, taken to the bathroom, your ass cleaned, that's when you see true love, in the eyes of the one who takes care of you and you see that it is not out of obligation, but out of love. Choose your partners well, just like I chose mine...
We were his reason to live
At one point in his life, he told me a story where hi was the leading man and in which he wanted to leave home. He was torn in two waters and didn't know what to do, but one day coming home from work, we greeted him with hugs and kisses and then he knew that he couldn't leave us. He supported us in everything we have done with our lifes, whenever my brother Gonzo and I were leaving on tour, he talked to the Air Traffic Control Tower at the National Airport to send a message to us, to the envy of our mates, and it said this:
God bless you my children, and remember, zero balcony, zero pool
He wasn't supported by his family when he married my mom, we don't actualy know why, but she always tried to make him reach out to them even when he didn't wanted to. I asked him once if he missed them, and why he didn't like to reach out to them; he said that he did missed them but if they couldn't accept the fact that he had a family of his own, he didn't need them at all, and for as long we were with him, he didn't need anyone else.
I didn't have the heart to make his favorite cake, Strawberry and Vanilla Cream Cake, so yesterday we bought a small cake and in the afternoon, we sliced it and served him a piece while we said: Happy Birthday Dad!
I'm sure that heaven had a party last night, as he loved his birthday and enjoyed the fact that we still remember him like always, a happy and wealthy man in all that really matters in life.
Thank's for reading me!
✨✨Blessings✨✨
@rebeysa85
A very touching post. We all have people who have touched our lives, left a deep legacy, and made precious memories in our lives. It is NEVER easy to say goodbye. But thank God we had the chance to meet them and for them to make lasting impressions that we can never, ever, possibly forget.
In a way, it makes them live forever.