CCWF residents remember dads
June is a time to celebrate the fathers who have been there to love and support us throughout our lives. For those who grew up with present father figures, they are many things to us: our heroes, our protectors, our role models, our providers.
No matter how old I get, my dad makes me feel loved and cared for. Although I am now approaching 50, I know I will always be his little girl. I remember the hours we shared together driving back and forth to my ballet classes, from age 11 to 14, because my new studio was an hour away. He would wait until the dreaded “until” rehearsals for the Nutcracker were over. (They weren’t over until we got it right).
We listened to classical music and old reruns of radio programs. Still to this day I have a great love of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony because we played it in the car. These were special times we spent together, just the two of us. At the time, I didn’t appreciate how precious these moments were. But looking back, they fill my heart with so much love. My greatest wish is to be able to share another Father’s Day with my dad.
Our fathers often serve as our greatest teachers and role models. Central California Women’s Facility (CCWF) resident Maria Quintero-Briseno has always had a really close relationship with her dad. She calls him her papi. When she was five years old, he walked her to school. And when she got tired, he picked her up and carried her the rest of the way. “I would feel so loved when he would lift me up,” she said.
Today, Quintero-Briseno said it feels bittersweet because she is not there to lift him up. But, she pays the intention forward by lifting up and helping others. Quintero-Briseno remains devoted to her papi and lives by his lesson: “Your word is the only thing valuable thing in this life.” Quintero-Briseno celebrated Father’s Day every year by cooking homemade carne asada and eating little cakes shaped like little babies.
Our dads help shape our beliefs and our moral code. CCWF resident Reyna Gomez described her dad as her knight in shining armor. He taught her many of the fundamental values that she holds today. “My dad taught me to be humble, how to have respect for others, and about tough love,” she said.
He also taught Gomez the importance of hard work and an appreciation of gardening. “Dad had a big lawn and no matter how hot it was, he would show us how to tend to the garden and the many fruit trees. We had apple, pear, guava and more, and afterwards we would sit around together and enjoy the fruits of our labor.” To this day, Gomez embraces those values and remains close to her dad.
Sometimes, it is only our memories of our fathers that remain. We are left with their words of wisdom and their impressions on our hearts.
Since his passing, CCWF resident Aubrey McGee misses her father every day, but this does not diminish the impact he continues to have in her life at CCWF.
