15 years ago, I lost a great man who was my dad. His name is Dan Rodriguez. He died today in 2011 from colon cancer. This past weekend, I was reading one of my dad’s writings called "Family." I hope you enjoy his words today. Some of you will cry, some of you will smile, and some of you will remember his words—he’s never forgotten. He was a great father to me, and I want to share a little bit with the world as his daughter today to remember him. Family By Dan Rodriguez “Family Many have said blood is thicker than water This meaning is foreign to many because of brokenness Dictionary says family is a fundamental social group in society of a parent and children Tears and fears fill many families bringing feelings of apathy and indifference At the end there is much regret and much heartache with so little to cherish Look and see around you and connect the few who you speak with Many go through a lifetime and never see what is before their eyes That the same blood doesn’t always run in those who are family Because they have seen you down and out and yet they are still there The sky is black out but there is still a smile to offer on cold days Who determined that there must be hate for family or any resemblances of it? Some claim their pets as the best family they have in their life Some look to their work and hobbies to provide what family failed to complete Trains only run one way taking their occupants to their target But take no consideration of feelings or ability to adapt at their destination Fathers like mothers feel so inadequate to raise children that see them as discarding them The line must be drawn where the father stops hating and the son or daughter Begins to take a stand to love or to care to see the good and not the dreadful Who took the first step to care and to give so that some could receive on Christmas? Honesty, are we good enough to receive when really we should be giving? Look past the facade and the roughness and see the child crying inside in the corner Would you not comfort such a youngster and try to rally round him Oh sinister heart and bent mind, call yourself to walk where you’ve not been We were offered something we did not deserved and blood was shed to cover So that we could walk better and talk a new way to facilitate those hurt and broken around us Oh that we would release the scars and let the hurt be in the past and not the present To stretch our arms to those that we’ve not called family for so long Family is you and me just thinking of the good and the precious few moments together for ever A lover cherishes one kiss for a lifetime and a friend a hug for decades past Yet families only remember the darkness and shadows cast to the present and future Take the one good moment in time and freeze it and rewind it as many times necessary To get to as the lover treasuring the kiss through time never looking to destroy but to build Hope, trust, confidence, poise, coolness, and any one moment we can say the word family Because family does not end at the demise but goes on through unseen levels forever.”