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My father and I had a heart to heart talk and I wanted to share:
1. Love yourself more than you do anyone or anything else.
2. Slow down and enjoy what you have accomplished instead of looking at the next major goal.
3. Always treat others with respect, even when others do not respect you.
4. “Un clavo no siempre quita otro clavo.” Sometimes the arms of another person can be healing, but often the soul needs love and that’s not the way to find it.
5. Men, on the general, are no good, but there are many good men out there.
6. Life is about relationships; if you build good relationships than everything else follows.
7. We all need love. Life without love, is not worth living.

My short life view to my father:
1. Don’t hate; Hate is a cancer eating the soul, taking too much energy and effort that could be used for better purposes.
2. Everything happens for a reason, if anything else it asks you to have empathy.
3. Everything in life has a meaning; it may not be revealed until a long ways down the line.
4. Guilt is not something anyone should ever have on their conscious.
5. Pray everyday and often for the wellness of everyone, even those who wouldn’t wish that upon you. At least when they are happy they have less time and inclination to think about you.

After so many years of turbulence, my father and I have reached a calm sea and I enjoy spending time with him. That makes me happy. Healing is a great word. The best part is he reached over and gave me a big hug, “I love you, mija.” An early happy father’s day to all the father’s reading this!