My Father : The Myst Impact Of My Life

9. If you could trade places with your parents for a day, what would you do differently?

“Ya son las Cinco y media,” is what my dad would say to me everyday during summer. We would go up to Redlands to this avocado groove to pick avocados. Under the big, tall, leafy trees we would work until our bodies couldn't take it anymore and needed a break. We would work under the hot scorching sun, our faces dripping in sweat until 3:30. I would always get home tired knowing the same thing was waiting for me the next day.

My dad started working at the age of nine, and by the time he was sixteen he helped my grandmother with the bills. My dad had to grow up fast, and his ambition to come to America made it even faster. At the age of twenty-three, I came along and my dad was with my stepmom. My stepmom (or as I call her my mom), took me in as if I were her own and gave me unconditional love like any other mother would. Just like my dad, my mom started working at a young age. By the time she was fourteen my mom had two jobs and by the age of nineteen, she bought her first car. Growing up with ambitious parents like mine means having a lot of expectations, and being the oldest sibling put more weight of that plate of expectations.

5. If I engage in a conversation with a person who is dying, I would feel hopeful that my talking

I always have a picture of her with me. Sometimes I doze off staring at it for twenty minutes. Losing my mom at a young age shaped my identity. I am who I am because of her. I have pushed through pain. I am strong and independent. I refuse to get knocked down. If I do, I will come back even stronger. Moving on doesn't mean forgetting; it means living life without the “what if’s”. I’ve grown to accept and value my life. You must appreciate even the little things in life because no one knows what tomorrow's events will bring. Everyone has baggage. Mine is just pushing me up instead of holding me down. I know now, that my mom is watching over my family and her legacy that I carry with me.

It was the spring of 2013. My mom took me out of school early that day because we needed to get driving to Dike, Iowa. Since my sister is also a volleyball player, she has state that same weekend, but not in the same place. However, the sophomores were at the same place we were. Anyhow, my sister drove with my mom to the hotel her team was staying at, and I drove with my dad. I’m a lot like my dad so I get ready pretty quickly and I only pack what’s needed. When I got home, it took me about five minutes to get ready since I packed my bag the day before. On the other hand, my mom had to take at least half an hour to “fix” her makeup and her hair, and my sister took about forty-five minutes just to pack her bag! Anyways, my dad and I made it

This is what biking means to me. This is a simple moment but in my mind it’s quite complex. How it makes me disappear and how i feel quiet, and calm. My moment is biking down a big hill.

In 2005, it was 75 degrees in Tampa, Florida and my dad, sister, and I were at the beach. I was only eight years old and I felt relaxed. Growing up in Florida was tough because it was only my dad that took care of us. Every morning he wakes up at 6 A.M, makes his coffee, wakes my sister and I up, makes breakfast, and bring us to day care. Since my mom was not around it was difficult for him, being a single parent trying to make means for his family. Just like in “Aunt Alice vs. Bob Marley,” Kareem Kennedy’s aunt describes her parents as “hard workers.” She said, “Mom didn’t have to work, but she chose to work because she wanted to make sure we had everything. They always made sure we had a decent meal.”

My dad is driving all the way to Minnesota to get a motorcycle. At least, that’s what I thought. He woke me and my brother up and showed us a picture of a motorcycle. To be honest, I thought that was what we were actually getting because we didn’t have any suitcases so it wasn’t a surprise vacation. I didn’t know we were getting a kitten. I did ask for one more than 5 times. My mom did show me a picture of a kitten that was ready to be adopted. Ok, I’m finished talking.

I remember when my Dad and I were at my old house playing catch. After we would finish playing catch he would tell me what I need to work on and help me out. My Dad helps out a lot of people, like his patients. He is a very skilled eye doctor and helps many people everyday. He is also a very good athlete, ever since he was a kid to a grown man.

When I was eight years old, I realized I was slightly different from my dad, but very similar. My dad, and my brother, and I were sitting upstairs in our room and my dad said, “I’m gonna draw something for you guys to guess.” So my brother and I sat there waiting and watched him draw it. My brother and I were interested and what he was drawing and we really liked it. My dad made sure the drawing was well done so we could all guess what it was. He was getting close to the end and me and my brother kept trying to guess it and have fun with it. It took a minute for my brother and I to guess it, but when we finally got it is when I realized I wasn't talented at drawing like my dad and I don't like to draw as much as him. Although I had fun with him, we are very different.

It was Friday and I had a million and one things to do after work. So, as soon as I get out of work, I run to the bank and cash my check and, running back out to my car, jump in and fire it up. Steppenwolf's "Born to be wild" come’s on the radio! It’s a warm and sunny afternoon. Look out highway, I’ve got a hot rod Lincoln, and a license to fly! (Actually, I don’t have either of those, but it sounds good). I turn right out of the bank and hit the asphalt. I’m on my way and quickly hit cruising speed. Nothings going to stop me now… wrong. I am rapidly approaching the rear end of a cherry red El dorado Cadillac and have to slow down to 29 ½ miles per hour. The only visible sign of life in the Cadillac is the bobbing of an old man’s head, who

What keeps me up at night is how privileged I am. My father grew up in a very poverty stricken town, Guanajuato. Even though his family owned a great deal of land to cultivate fruits, they were barely able to make ends meet. My Grandma and father would have to wake up at 5 am to walk all the way to the other side of town and then catch a bus to a nearby town, Celaya, to sell what they had harvested. While there, my father would go to a nearby wasteland to find any old toys or clothes others had thrown out. This was a continuous thing until my dad, at the age of 15 decided to come to the United States, with nothing else other than a few extra pairs of raggedy clothes, that he had gotten from the wasteland. My father stayed in Texas to help provide

My dad and I were in the car going to our my first organized basketball game. My heart was pounding I was already sweating and I was the most nervous I have ever been in my whole entire life!

One Friday night, my dad and I were sitting around the fire talking about all of grandpa’s past memories. I will never be able to forget this story. In my future, I can only hope my love story will be this good.