 |
| My Dad signing his marriage certificate on his wedding day to my mom |
My parents emigrated from Guatemala to the United States in 1969 in search of a better life and place to raise a family. My Father's method for child rearing was most definitely old school. He had a desire to instill in his daughters values that were of utmost importance to him. I remember how much he stressed the importance of an education and to take pride in the labor of our hands. He also wanted us to recognize how blessed we were and to always extend a helping hand to those less fortunate. Propriety, honesty, etiquette and character were things he sought to mold in his daughters. But above all, he wanted us to always love and reverence God. I must admit that when I was a teenager I resented how strict he was. In my quiet rebellion I would inwardly roll my eyes and shirk off the advice and pearls of wisdom he sought to give me. I now have nothing but gratitude for his desire to instill the best in my sisters and me. I now see how my sisters and I are seeking to instill the same values in our own children. I only hope that we will do half as good a job as he did. I'm so grateful to have a father who cared enough to pass on the best to us. I'm also grateful to my husband who is fully engaged in the raising of our own children. It takes just one look at our prison system to see what the absence of a father's positive influence and involvement in the life of his child can lead to.
To all the men who have stepped up to take on the role as "Dad" and are making a difference in the next generation, have a wonderful Father's Day!
