12 years

This picture was taken 14 years ago. I was taking my First Communion, it is the last picture of two of us together.
I was 11 years old and two years before he and I had talked about finding the true church and starting a new life. We knew the Catholic church wasn't, so I was very surprised when he said I had to take my First Communion. He told me that it would make some people happy and until we find the right one we should still do other good things. I know I had to do it because my God father was his boss :-)

My dad, Luis Grados, was an amazing guy. He wasn't perfect, but he always had the desired to become better. One the things that he did for which I am very proud of, was to have an annual soccer tournament in our community. My mom would buy snacks and make a HUGE dinner, my dad would buy trophies and medals. He would invite all the youth around us, mostly the ones that were having problem with drugs, gangs, and alcohol. At the end of the day they all felt close to my dad and our family. My dad took their trust in him to lead them out of such a dead road. There were a lot of those young men that I watched change and grow up to be better people, to go to school and to find jobs. Our community changed because no one worried about gangs anymore. Everyone knew my dad and he always had time to help others.

I am his only daughter, the youngest out of three and the only girl. Needless to say I was spoiled rotten, but even then he tried to bring my feet back to the ground. On my 9Th birthday I was expecting a huge birthday party and the day of we went to pick up food we had a deli make, buy drinks, snacks, a piñata and a white cake with a big pink beautiful rose on top, that I got to choose.
After we bought everything I thought we were driving back to the house to have my party but no, my dad drove to a very poor part of town, were the roads were just dirt and the houses were built out of tin and the floors were dirt as well. He drove and drove until he saw a small house with about 5 kids running outside, he stopped and went out of the car and talked to dad. A dew minutes later we were asked to come out of the car and bring everything in. The kids were going crazy just to see the car and when they saw the food they were laughing. I could not believe it, I was disappointed and did not want to leave the car, he came and told me to come out and celebrate.When I finally came out, I went to play with the kids (who kept getting my new shoes dirty)and they showed my how the planted almost everything they ate and whatever they didn't eat they sold. The time to sing and cut the cake came and everyone was excited and a little girl fell in love with MY rose. At the end of the song somehow someone fell on the cake and my rose was broken. My dad came to me and told me that I had more than those kids did and that they needed the food more than we do and the fun more than I do, that I should think of how good I could be if I realized that I gave up my special day to make a special day for 8 other people.

I'll never forget his lessons, I'll always remember his love for me and everyone else. I just wish he would have stayed a little longer than 13 years.
This month it will 12 years since he's been gone but it's ok I know I'll see him again.
Papi te quiero mucho,
Tu pirulin!