Three Feet from Gold; by Lechter & Reid - my review

Sharon Lechter and Greg Reid put together this allegory injecting it with advice for success. After interviewing a variety of high achievers, they created a story about a struggling, marketing wannabe. The young man's initial motivations and offensive actions metamorphose into a way of thinking, based in morality and shored up with exhortations from the elites that bring about significant changes in his life.

"Three Feet from Gold," is a feel-good remake of the book, "Think and Grow Rich" originally conceived by Napoleon Hill back at the turn of the century. In celebration of the 100th anniversary of the book's initial publication in 1908, the Napoleon Hill Foundation commissioned, "Three Feet from Gold" in an effort to resurrect some old ideas using contemporary personalities. Like Hill, Lechter & Reid collected sage advice from high achieving contemporaries which they used as the basis for their pared-down rendition of "Think and Grow Rich."

Aside from its schmaltzy tone, it did offer some decent recommendations for success. Unfortunately, the story seems disingenuous and therefore, the advice loses impact. The problem has to do with a selfish young man whose personal attributes and bad behavior do little to create a sympathetic character. He is so seriously flawed that his capacity for change is dubious.

The storyline recounted how this selfish marketing executive's baneful life was turned around after he has a chance encounter with an affable, wise entrepreneur.

The story became even more unbelievable when it suggested that successful business people might inclined to show up-and-comers the keys to success. Like Napolean Hill who received his imprimatur from the business magnate, Andrew Carnegie, Greg received his pass from the wealthy entrepreneur whose jacket he returned. Greg's misperceived act of kindness is rewarded and he receives the old man's authorization to tap into the collective wisdom of his successful cronies.

It seems doubtful that any of the business tycoon would ever just allow someone so ethically compromised as the protagonist in this story to ever get close to them - especially considering that their core values are rooted in morality. To my recollection, one of their jewels of wisdom was the admonition to avoid any prolonged contact with negative personalities because because such people tend to be a drain on energy not to mention they present a negative contagion which promotes failure.

As an aside, the 'star chamber' scene about midway through the story was way over-the-top - and thus unconvincing if not just plain bulls@%t.

I evaluated this book on two levels; content and delivery.

The content was decent but, there wasn't anything revolutionary in the book. Compared to other guidebooks on success, this one followed the same pattern of the genre. This story's shortcoming was in its delivery - again, I believe it is because - the main character was unlikeable.

For me, the guy represented everything wrong with business today. The protagonist embodied all the negative stereotypical characteristics of the fools who recently plunged the entire world's economy into a recession. They may be brilliant and but they abused their talent.

I failed to see the value in promoting self-serving 'me-first' types as the kind of people deserving a hand-up from America's business elites. It may have had more appeal if the rich, old man had reached out to a working stiff who had personal integrity and a solid work ethic but simply lacked the connections and opportunity to move forward - a Horatio Alger type.

This book only glanced upon the value of contributing back to society.

My impression is there are a whole bunch of bull-shi##ers in business who are making a pile of cash simply doing nothing and it dismays me to witness such mentality tacitly accepted in this book. My observations from the news and in reading this book confirm my belief that we are living in a charlatan's guilded age where one actual piece of advice is "fake it 'til you make it' speaks volumes about the flawed personalities who take it upon themselves to be the mouthpiece for success in America these days.

It is no wonder we have obsessive personalities whose drive for success at all costs encourages pathological ambitions that serves personal interests at such a great cost to the worlds in which they move. Moreover, I remain convinced this book is reflective or a greater malaise in America today. It is rooted in the entire selection process and the criteria we - as a society - use to determine what kind of person is likely to succeed.

I do not claim to have any answers however, lots of zeroes in the bank account or having a title such as MBA or MD or JD is just part of the formula of success. The obsession with acquisitiveness has become the focal point for determining success. Until that changes, we are going to see pillaging by way of million-dollar bonuses as occurred in AIG, Lehman Brothers and Bank of America, or shysters like Bernie Madoff. It is all connected and it reflects something seriously wrong in the way we select for people to fill positions of prestige and responsibility.

Something is really wrong when deception is part of the prescribed paradigm. Ostensibly, the underlying rationalization is that it calls forth some cosmic power from the universe. I am willing to concede that there is a phenomenon in the universe which defies rational explanation - and maybe that makes me nuts but, I think that we still have not figured out a way to explain it rationally - my difficulty with this book is that it may well offer some practical advice but it fails in cultivating any sense of social responsibility. Philanthropy is mentioned at many points throughout the book but it echoes hollow since it really doesn't describe what motivates such powerful people to be philanthropic or how doing so can have any pay-off considering that their hoarding behavior is the number one goal in life.

"Three Feet from Gold" was a commendable effort for Lechter & Reid but, it didn't work for me. The requisite ethical component as a necessary determinant for success in life was barely touched upon and lacked any meaningful depth.

I'm Your Man - Leonard Cohen

I'm Your Man
by Leonard Cohen

If you want a lover
I'll do anything you ask me to
and - if you want another kind of love
I'll wear a mask for you
If you want a partner
Take my hand
or - if you want to strike me down in anger
Here I stand -
I'm your man

If you want a boxer
I will step into the ring for you
and - if you want a doctor
I'll examine every inch of you
If you want a driver
Climb inside
or - if you want to take me for a ride
You know you can -
I'm your man

ah, the moons too bright
The chains too tight
The beast won't go to sleep
I've been running through these promises to you
That I made and I could not keep

ah, but a man never got a woman back
Not by begging on his knees
or - I'd crawl to you baby
and - I'd fall at your feet
and - I'd howl at your beauty
Like a dog in heat
and - I'd claw at your heart
and - I'd tear at your sheet
I'd say please, please -
I'm your man

and - if you've got to sleep
A moment on the road
I will steer for you
and - if you want to work the street alone
I'll disappear for you
If you want a father for your child
or - only want to walk with me a while
Across the sand -
I'm your man

If you want a lover
I'll do anything you that ask me to
and - if you want another kind of love
I'll wear a mask for you

Living a Life that Matters; by Harold Kushner - my review

Living a Life that Matters uses the story of Jacob in The Book of Genesis as the background for discussion regarding why and how a person should live a life that matters.

Harold Kushner is a Rabbi so his logic carries a spiritual component. However, his writing is devoid of self righteousness. Using stories and references to popular culture he argues that integrity defines character. He tempers his words with sensitivity and understanding to explain that personal development is an ongoing process that involves commitment and courage to change.

His reflections on religious fanaticism and the perspectives of fundamentalists at the end of the book are thought provoking. He points out the patterns of collective behavior relative to age.

He wrote,

"Remember that Islam is less that 1,400 years old. When Judaism was 1,200 years old, it was converting the inhabitants of captured territories by force. When Christianity was 1,200 to 1,400 years old, it was graduating from the blood shed of the Crusades to the tortures of the Inquisition. It may be that a world religion has to go through an "adolescent" phase of believing that it has total truth (plausibly, as in so many adolescents, a cover for insecurity; why else would a world wide religious organization be so panicked at the thought of a roomful of heretics somewhere in its domain?) before it matters.

It is an aspect of terrorism and the Jihadist mentality that I never gave much thought to. It makes sense.

I adhere to the belief that knowledge is power. Rabbi Kushner's insight reinforces my conviction that violence rarely settles an issue once and for all. Perhaps it is time we reach out to Islam in tangible ways by reverting swords into plowshares and vitriol into dialogue. I find it impossible to believe that all Muslims are violent extremists.

There have to be more settled minds among the Islamic faithful whose spirituality is not shored up by willingness to resort to violence and terror. We need to be seeking out those religious leaders who have enough conviction in their religion that they are not obsessed with forced conversion. Such leaders won't be shaken when their core principles are subjected to scrutiny and they are less apt to resort to violence when their beliefs are challenged.

The Year of Magical Thinking - by Joan Didion - my review

The definition of "Magical thinking is a clinical term used to describe a wide variety of nonscientific and sometimes irrational beliefs. These beliefs are generally centered on correlations between events."

Joan Didion's choice for this book's title is appropriate in that it reflects her mindset as she recounts her experience of year following her husband's death. The book is filled with numerous details surrounding the event itself and so many associations arising from it. Her chronicle is delivered in a dream-like stream of consciousness style of writing that convincingly evokes her sense of loss, her state of loss and her need to maintain some semblance of connection to the man with whom she spent four decades of her life.

It is a heart rending story that is equally melancholy as it is effective in conveying the lonely, meandering state Didion drudged through attempting to make sense of it all. It is a sad, honest depiction of how she coped with the loss.

Relying on her journalistic skills, she researched the many aspects surrounding death. The insights offered from literature to medical sources provide a unique learning experience while the story progresses.

If there is anything I find objectionable or perhaps unnecessary, it is the references to her elevated social status. Some details like name dropping or describing physical possessions almost sounded like advertising for certain clothing items or restaurants. I suppose however, such references to the 'good life' serve to illustrate that death is unfazed by our social position or net worth and - more importantly - we all suffer the same.

The materialistic references seemed to act as anchor points for the author. Perhaps this is more a demonstration of her attempt to use total recall as a means of not letting John's memory die. Nevertheless, it just seemed gratuitous and irrelevant in the overall scheme of her story. That is what caused me to rate the book 3 stars rather than 4 (out of a possible 5).

Because of her thoroughness of exploration, I was able to cull out many references which I intend to follow up on (eg "How We Die" by Sherwin Nuland).

This is my first experience reading Joan Didion and I like her craftsmanship."The Year of Magical Thinking," is informative and not at all contrived. It is a touching account. Joan Didion's style is relaxed, straight-forward and easy to read. I look forward to reading more of her novels in the future.

My Invented Country; by Isabel Allende - my review

My Invented Country offers an insider's perspective about Chile that is as intimate as it is real. I have read some of the criticisms about Allende's depiction of her homeland and I find them to be without merit. Her descriptions about the national character are quite touching and do not appear in the slightest to be done with any malevolence.

There were points in the book that brought out a chuckle while others - and there were many - caused me to laugh out loud. She has such a wonderful way of describing human nature without being hateful or malicious. The immediacy of her style conveys a sense of intimacy - it is reflective of the conversational style that is shared among friends. I am surprised her detractors missed that.

Her descriptions of the land, the collective mentality and their influence on her are compelling. She makes me want to visit Chile, partially to observe the nuances she points out and mostly because their culture seems fascinating. For me, there is a sense of familiarity with Chileans. Their perspectives are not so different from my own.

What I like most of all about Allende's writing is that she has a knack for drawing out the humorous. Her writing has an endearing quality that is is respectful and not at all caustic. The real reward comes when she discusses with a candor that is inviting and unguarded about how the country of Chile and its world-view have contributed to her abilities as a writer.

Toward the end of her book she references Milton Friedman and his influence (The Chicago School of thought) on the Totalitarianism of the Pinochet Regime. I must admit I was aware of the connection but it really hit home when I was reading Naomi Klein's book "Shock Doctrine."

While Klein does not delve deeply into the atrocities, she does touch upon the effects of Friedman and company had upon Chile and more importantly, their impact on America post 9/11.

I have always considered it ironic that Chile's 9/11 which marked the overthrow of Salvador Allende's elected government and the rise of Totalitarianism - clamping down on individual liberties in the name of security would also share similarly echoed sentiments during George W. Bush II's presidency and, under guidance of the same same Chicago School ideologue; Milton Friedman. Klein refers to the ideology as "Shock Doctrine" - Allende referred to it as, "savage capitalism."... Spooky.

This is a thoroughly enjoyable book that is easy to read but you have to be attentive because she has so much to say and her delivery is so entertaining that you can miss some real gems regarding her craft. The book may be about Chile but the real treat is how she shares her thoughts on her passion as a professional writer.

Milagro Beanfield War - my review

Que Viva Snuffy Ledoux!

I read this book 35 years ago for the first time when I was fifteen years old. It remains one of my all time favorites. A friend recently pointed out that I was like Amarante Cordova. I always considered myself to be more of a Jose Mondragon. After re-reading Milagro Beanfield War, this timeless piece of literature ranks among the best stories I have ever read and, why I consider it such a great demonstration of artistry and craftsmanship.

Milagro Beanfield War is an enchanting story, told by a man who has a deep and abiding respect for the people he wrote about. His descriptions of the colorful characters and the beautiful landscapes reveal a man who is faithful to describing northern New Mexico Latino culture with clarity and sensitivity to all their quirky nuances.

Nichols reminds me why I love the northern part of the state so much. The rugged terrain is as breath-taking beautiful as its hard-scrabble inhabitants. I am convinced their vibrant culture and world view has been shaped by the land in which they live. Their ingenuity and tenacity are not as caricatured as you might be given to conclude according to Nichols' descriptions. Their bravado, sense of pride, chutzpah are not an exaggeration at all. Moreover, extraordinary things do happen up there and what is even more unusual is that is is not seen as anything out of the ordinary at all. Nichols does such a fantastic job of describing the terrain that he reminds me why I love Northern New Mexico - Taos in particular - so much.

Plainly put, this story is entertaining, comical and it sheds light on yet another group of Americans whose peculiarities spice up an already delicious story.

I felt a connection to all of the characters. However, if pressed to choose one, I believe my favorite would be the immortal Amarante Cordova who buys bullets for his antique .45 with food stamps.

Aside from Pacheco's huge, white pet pig that continually escapes and wreaks havoc in Milagro, the cast of characters include;

Joe Mondragon, the sawed-off banty rooster. The protagonist who unwittingly starts the war when he decides to irrigate his little bean field - of course the symbolism should not be wasted here as beans cause gas and Joe's little field caused a big stink.

Bernabe Montoya, the tired though politically astute sheriff whose comic-tragic life is measured by making mountains out of mole hills and mole hills out of mountains,

Seferino Pacheco, the illiterate old man who can nonchalantly critique Steinbeck, Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Juan Ramon Jimenez, Platero, Asturias, Garcia Lorca and Pablo Neruda but spends the lions' share of his time haplessly chasing down his wayward, errant pet pig,

Onofre Martinez, the one armed enigma who lost his arm to a fleet of butterflies and whose claim to shame is marked by having a son become a state police officer,

Charlie Bloom, the Harvard Lawyer cum honorary Chicano and publisher of a little news paper called 'The Voice of the People,'

A host of bad guys led by the evil, Ladd Devine III, an equally pugnacious, little white man whose size belies his ambitions, and

the women of Milagro who range from a pebble-tossing granny to loyal, devoted and equally nutty, delightfully powerful women.

These characters represent the tapestry of Milagros' comedic bravado and cloaked angst with its temperaments and dispositions.

I have read that some people do not like Nichols' depiction of the dominant culture and actually take exception to what has been described as the 'white man's burden.' Such detractors are really missing the point because the story is about a nostalgic look at a culture and way of life that is quickly waning. As a case in point, Onofre Martinez articulates the point quite eloquently (p 150)when someone makes an off handed comment about gringos;

"'Wait a minute!' Onofre Martinez stammered excitedly, emotionally placing his hand on Ray Gusdorf's shoulder, 'This is my neighbor, and he is a gringo, not even a little bit coyote [half-breed:]. But he's been in the valley as long as I remember, and I consider him to be of my people. And that white man over there told us these things about the dam and the conservancy and showed us the maps, I consider him of my people too, even though he is a lawyer, even though he speaks funny Anglo Spanish you can hardly understand. But I believe he at least tries to speak the truth,and a lawyer who does that should get a big gold medal to hang around his neck. I don't consider Nick Rael to be of my people because he works against my interests... So, I don't believe this is a brown against white question. This is a only one kind of people against another kind of people with different ideas. There are brown people and white people on both sides...People are people...The brown people and white people on our side are better people because they are on the correct side, that's all..."

While many of the antiheroes in this story happen to be Anglo and the protagonists are mostly Latinos, the story would not change if the protagonists happened to be a group of backwater whites who were facing similar circumstances. Consequently, I don't really understand why someone, anyone would get ruffled about a white author writing about bad white guys. Apparently, Lonesome Dove doesn't evoke the same sort of bristled criticisms and, for that reason, I find the attacks on John Nichols unwarranted.

John Nichols has created a masterpiece, attentively woven with its muted colors of incredulity, tempered fatalism and brilliant splashes of hope.

I sincerely hope his magnum opus is not discounted because he has the temerity to celebrate the true essence of what is unique about being an American; diversity.

Finally, If you like magical realism, this book is perfect for you.

ps: There's nothing wrong with being like Amarante Cordova - although I still consider myself more like Joe Mondragon. And, hey Tony! You are crazier that Pacheco's pig!

My Padrino Joe - In Memoriam

His legacy is our harvest

The Gift

Known to many as, Joe, 'Compadre' to some, 'Daddy' or 'Grandpa' to a blessed few and 'Tio' to others. He was ‘Padrino’ to me. He is my godfather.

Nearly fifty years have passed since he held me in his arms on the day he and my Madrina, Cecilia accepted responsibility to be my spiritual parents in the ceremony of my Baptism. Many years have also passed since the times when he offered me words of encouragement woven with the stories of his upbringing. I am certain I will get the details wrong but, his essence will be readily apparent to anyone who knew him. If my recollection fails me, it is not an act of willful misrepresentation but rather a genuine rendering of who he was and what he meant to me.

I was an impressionable child and his stories dovetailed into the stories of one of my greatest heroes, Abraham Lincoln whose humble upbringing reminded me so much of my Padrino. Both men were brilliant, gentle and thoughtful farmers who worked the land and lived a principled, honorable life.

The writer Daniel Goleman says that heroes defy definition. He accurately identifies people who commit singular, extraordinary acts of profound heroism such as diving on a grenade in order to save fellow comrades from certain death are worthy of commendation. He also argues that there is an equally important though less recognized form of heroism; the extraordinary people among us who do ordinary things every day - they include the workers, the parents and the people who make daily sacrifices and offer their children safety, shelter and love. The nature of heroes is they are larger than life precisely because they are greater than the sum of their parts.

Remembrances of my Padrino are the aggregation of a faded patchwork of memories, clouded by time and colored with the idyllic hues of a personage whose character was larger than life. To my recollection, he grew up in a large family. His childhood days were numbered according to the phases of the moon and the rhythm of the seasons. His mother and father were simple people. They eked out their existence by the sweat of their brow. They possessed neither the luxury nor the means for giving much thought to the insufferable torments which they endured from day to day; there were fields to work and mouths to feed.

They bowed their heads, and worked the clay-bound soil along the banks of the Rio Grande. Their environment was intolerant of idleness; unwilling to yield its bounty without exchange for long hours applied patiently working in the fields, tending to the plants that they relied on in order to survive. Thus, their waking hours were passed cultivating and then harvesting in preparation for times when the land upon which they lived would pass into idle months of winter. So, they toiled in the sun for sustenance, and labored in anticipation, poverty and hope.

There is nothing so noble as a man who works with his hands. It is one of the primary reasons why I took up residence on an acre of land in a rural community. Like him, I feel a deep sense of connectedness to my land. Like him, I have spent endless hours working on my property; tilling the soil and making things grow.

Circle of Life - by Edward Gonzales

Serito was a man of many talents but the thing I most remember about him are his words of advice and his time spent laboring in his back field. His gentle encouragement and admiration for education had a profound impact on me.

I also admired my Padrino’s earthy simplicity and never quite understood why working with my hands could be something all that bad. He was one of the men I always looked up to and the fact that he was a farmer was something I respected deeply.

“…Don’t be like me and your Dad. We don’t have an education and we’ve had to work hard all our lives. Our parents had to work hard too. We didn’t have the opportunity like you do now. Use your smarts and you can be anything you want to be.”

My memories of my Padrino are of a proud man, a citizen-soldier, a devoted husband and father but mostly, a man of the earth whose childhood was marked by hard work, humility a deliberateness of disposition. He was a man whose moral fiber was woven with integrity and rooted in respect. He was mechanically inclined and had a deep love for learning. His character was one of self-discipline, patience, timing, consistency and faith. Such qualities - gained as much by circumstance as by the absolute necessity to survive - would serve him well throughout his lifetime. They proved to be the greatest blessing a man could ever ask for. They were the gift he dutifully passed on to his children and to his children's children.

His life would never be an easy one for it seemed that with every blessing our creator bestowed upon him - blessings such as the love of a devoted wife - my Madrina Cecilia, the product of their union; four decent Human beings; Genevieve, Peggy, Nancy and Lawrence - and a complement of equally good-willed grandchildren - he was also burdened with personal suffering.

Owing to his frail heart condition and a host of health-related calamities, both he and his family were fated to suffer financially. It seems no small miracle that they were able to make ends meet because he was no longer able to work at New Mexico Steel where strenuous labor was completely unsympathetic to the limitations imposed on a damaged heart. It was something he quietly endured and, about which he never complained. He was a good son, and lived in accordance with his faith.

Accepting his fate, he submitted to his God - the one to whom we all owe thanks and praise.

Curiously, despite their day-to-day difficulties, his children never knew the extent of their dire economic condition because their stomachs were always full and they enjoyed the consistency of a life which was filled not only with love but accompanied by faith. He saw adversity as opportunity. His woes may have been heavy, and his worries immense but, if ever he was discouraged, I never witnessed it. I doubt anyone else ever did either. He was the kind of man would give the shirt off his back regardless of how little he had. Because of that he remains one of the richest men I have ever known.


Padrino served his country as a paratrooper in the United States Army's 82nd Airborne Division during the Korean Conflict. It comes as no surprise that his love for country and the Constitution which he swore to uphold gave him great pride. He encouraged his children ever to be law-abiding citizens and to measure their personal successes - not by their social standing or fiscal prowess but rather by their acts of compassion and Humanity and by putting their faith into action. It is said, the fruit never falls far from the tree and Padrino's children do both their parents proud for their mark of distinction is how they comport themselves with respect, compassion and humility.

He was a man of his word and his actions never belied any hypocrisy; his ‘Yes’ was ‘Yes’ and his ‘No’ was ‘No.’ He was neither swift in criticism nor slow to praise. He believed in social justice, personal integrity, common decency and Humanity. He was a dear and loyal friend to my father and his clear-headed advice distinguished him as a man of wisdom. His words were measured and always offered as gifts rather than admonitions.

I am honored to have been given such a man as my spiritual father. I will never forget his positive assurances and wise advice given to me when I was but a boy. He always maintained that the way to help my people, my family and myself was through education. He told me that an education was something that no one could ever take away from me once I had received it. He thought of education as a promise for a better life. His admiration for a woman or man of letters was patently clear to me even when I was a little boy.

Padrino was familiar with the rhythms of life and knew that his time would come to move from this Earthly existence to the realm of Heaven. Life is a precious gift whose days are numbered in steady, equal measure. Eight decades have passed since Joe was born into that proud, humble family. The circle of life has turned and his has come to a close. He fought the good fight and, In accordance with the covenant bestowed upon us by our Lord and Savior, he has received his wish to 'climb the ladder to meet St. Joseph.' Padrino is now in the company of angels, embraced by the warm loving-kindness of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

However the price for such a reward is great. He now leaves his beloved, the woman with whom he spent the better part of six decades of his life. A famous poet once said that, 'parting is such sweet sorrow.' While Padrino leaves my Madrina behind, she is not completely alone.

He lives on - in the circle of life that came into being through the sacred commitment of matrimony with my Madrina. Together they created, nurtured, protected and loved their family. In her time of sorrow and ever forward, their children now stand at her side - continuing to repay all the enduring sacrifices their parents unselfishly devoted to each one while raising them all.

It is a debt which can never be fully paid but that will not stop them from trying. It is a self-perpetuating circle that will undoubtedly be passed on to the following generation - as it was in the beginning and ever shall be - for that is the nature of their promise. That is the gift.

Time-elapsed photograph of the Northern sky with the North Star in the middle

To all of you whose suffering seems darker than the deepest depths of the midnight heavens, I believe Padrino would want you all to know this; It is in the darkest skies where we see the most stars.

Like my father - he may not have been easy but - he was blessed with the spirit of discernment; what was right was right and what was wrong was just plain wrong. He was never wishy-washy. Because of such men, I know what 'True North' really is. The maps of the world may change but True North never does. I have faced times of adversity and such well-grounded advice has served me well.

Look to the Northern sky and find the Big Dipper - it points to the Little Dipper.

The North Star will be the brightest star - one the handle end

If you ever get to missing him, look to the sky and find the North Star - It won't be hard to find because it never changes its position in the night sky.

Use it as your guide. If you ever start to lose your way and remember, “No hay ningun mal que por bien no venga” - there is no bad thing from which good things cannot also come.

Above all, never, never give up believing because anything is possible with hope.

The distance that separates life from death seems so great and yet, Padrino will never be far away from any of the people whom he loved and who continue to love him as well. For we all have been given a gift by him - one far more valuable that anything money could buy. You cannot buy honor, you cannot buy respect and you cannot buy love. There is no price too high to be paid when a Human Being’s dignity is all that a person has. His life was spent sowing such noble ideals and now, his legacy is our harvest.

Lacking in pretensions, his humility marked him for the man that he was - completely befitting of Jesus’ description when he referenced the “salt of the earth and light of the world.”

For that reason, let us thank the one who cannot be named - the one whom we cannot see - the one whom we know only by faith and know to be the one true God for he created that humble man from Belen and gave to him that frail yet boundless heart of gold.

God Bless you Padrino - rest in peace.

"La Morada de Don Fernando"
by Ed Sandoval