A day late……
Reflections of Life:
Happy Father’s Day to my Dad Benjamin Longoria Benavides. I remember we would set up the chairs for Church Service at the old Cristo Rey Community Center back in the early 1970’s because we usually were the first ones there in the building on Sunday. Of course, he left me stuck at the age of 7-8 to set up those chairs by myself so he could go help start the Cristo Rey Church 9:00am Choir.
When he realized I couldn’t hit a baseball very well when I was 8 years old, he told me that shortstops were the sparkplug of the team. Cheering on their teammates, calling out how many outs there were, but also always thinking one or two plays ahead as to where the ball was going to go or needed to go. I can’t say I figured that out until my 40s and at that point, it was wisdom for life and community service. Yes, I can be slow #cc.
He doesn’t keep track of the many times he went out of his way to go sing and play guitar at a funeral in Lansing or 30 miles out. He simply believes its the right thing to do to honor those who have passed. Too many years ago he mastered the skill of leading quietly by example. I remember when I was 17 and him telling me not to raise my voice in meetings or life because you save those ‘effects’ for when you really need to make a point. The lessons have been plenty, but the love from him has been overflowing. In only a way he could have figured out, he taught me skills that sometimes took me years to even need.
I think back to when the Church decided to eliminate the Fish Fry which at the time was losing money. When I was 20 years old, I was the youngest Church member to ever be elected to the Church Council. I argued as long as we break even, we should have the Fish Fry as it was a community builder. It was about bringing families together. I lost the vote. On the following Monday, my Dad came home and told me that there would be a Church Fish Fry and him and I would run it. He believed in me so much, he spoke with our Priest and convinced him it was the right thing to do. We raised $1200 in four weeks and the Fish Fry is an integral part of the Church and a good fundraiser to this day.
I have been Blessed to have both my parents as they head into their 90’s and although he knows he runs the family, he always reminds me, we would be nowhere without our mom. His love for her has no end. The value of the woman in the family never got past him.
Thank you for everything Dad. Te quiero mucho papi!
Note: My mom is to the far left wearing a white cap, my son Benjamin is directly to his left, and I am in the far right corner looking down in a red shirt.
