To dream the impossible dream
To fight the unbeatable foe
To bear with unbearable sorrow
To run where the brave dare not go
“The Impossible Dream” is my father’s favorite song. At home, he will suddenly emulate Pavarotti with a line or two. To my mother’s chagrin, he even does this within earshot of the joggers in the park while they take their daily walk.
Playing the song in my mind and recalling that it is also the favorite of one of our heroes, Ninoy Aquino, I can see why he loves singing it. The soaring notes do not just hone his vocal cords; the lyrics resonate with his life principles.
Removing the negative connotations of the word, I guess “quixotic” aptly describes Papa – idealistic, chivalrous, visionary.
To right the unrightable wrong
To love pure and chaste from afar
To try when your arms are too weary
To reach the unreachable star
Papa has had his share of fighting giants. He is not one to take the safe side. There has always been some noble advocacy he was involved in. Causes like opposing the construction of the power plant in our home town – a looming giant that will harm the environment and the health of the people.
As a lawyer, his fight for justice is part of his profession. But what is not de rigueur in his line of work is the amount of pro bono cases that he has tackled because of his heart for poor people in trouble. In his younger years, he would come home tired from court hearings in the province after spending his own money for the travel. I remember him often lugging a bagful of crabs or a bunch of saba bananas or some other farm produce. These were given in appreciation by his pro bono clients.
In this case, I guess another definition of “quixotic” would apply - “a romantic disregard for money.” There were also instances when he would refuse payment out of principle or because he has not yet achieved the desired results. He may not be filthy rich by the standards of this materialistic world, but he is certainly wealthy in a host of more important things – wisdom, faith, good health out of a life well-lived and the love and respect of the people whose lives he has touched.
This is my quest
To follow that star
No matter how hopeless
No matter how far
To fight for the right
Without question or pause
To be willing to march into Hell
For a heavenly cause
Papa lives on the Word of God. He not only hears it at mass every day, he goes out of his way to bring it to others. One of his friends died recently from a lingering illness – a man estranged from his family because of financial disputes. Before he died, Papa had been patiently ministering to him – visiting him, bringing him goodies, softening him up for a family reconciliation with passages from the bible. In the end, Papa was asked by his family to give the eulogy. And this man wasn’t even a very close friend. But my father is like that. He seems to have a radar for finding wayward souls who need to be reminded about our God who cares. He calls his personal ministry Families for Christ the Marian Way. October is significant to him, not only because it is his birth month but also the month of the rosary. An event that he never misses is the La Naval procession in Sto. Domingo.
This love for the Lord is a legacy that he is passing on to me and to my children. I have never known anybody whose faith is as strong as his. Our family has received so many blessings – material and otherwise – because of his unshakeable faith.
And I know if I'll only be true
To this glorious quest
That my heart will lie peaceful and calm
When I'm laid to my rest
Family is all important to him. He has stayed true to the glorious quest of keeping ours intact by being a loyal husband, a loving father, a supportive grandfather and a good brother. He goes to great lengths to keep us safe and happy. He is our peacemaker – the one who keeps his sense of humor and serenity intact in the midst of any trouble. And it’s not just our immediate family. He is the go-to guy for an assortment of cousins, uncles, aunts, nieces and nephews who get into some trouble or another.
For him, family is not limited to his biological one. It extends to his work place. As the past chairman of Quezon Capital Rural Bank, he is passionate about making this familial quality the bank’s unique identity in the industry.
And the world will be better for this
That one man, scorned and covered with scars
Still strove with his last ounce of courage
To reach the unreachable star
Last week, Papa celebrated a milestone – his 80th birthday – still healthy, energetic, very much in the swing of things and looking forward to his centennial. I praise and thank God for this great blessing of giving me a wonderful father who has made the world a better place and who has taught me that no star is unreachable.
Happy birthday, Papa!
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