Thursday, August 10, 2006

Melecio Ajero (1933-2006)

I'm going back home to New Jersey, but it's for a reason that I wish wouldn't come. According to my brothers, my dad suffered a stroke yesterday August 9 and passed away sometime around 11:30 p.m. He was supposed to celebrate his 73rd birthday on August 14. It hasn't really hit me yet, possibly because of the geographic distance between us. But I know when I see him for the first time in over a year and also for the last time in my life, the emotions might come pouring out and I might lose it.

I know this isn't a piano-related post, but my dad was really instrumental in shaping me to be the pianist that I am today. He would always push me so hard to practice when I was young, always checking on whether I practiced after he got back home from work or was just messing around. Unfortunately, it was usually messing around, so he'd sit there in the living room and watch me to make sure that I did practice piano. And if he didn't do that, then I probably wouldn't be where I am today. I wish that I was able to actually tell him that. However, he was never one for all that warm-hearted talk. Even though he spoke with very few words, I can tell that he cared for his family by his actions and how hard he worked to provide for us.

Dad was one of the toughest guys I ever knew. I hope that I can exhibit even just a little bit of that character in raising my family.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Receive Mario, my most profound feelings.

A voice muted at the polyphony of your life, but, just as in the greatest fugues, that same voice will reappear in the future as a good reminder of the right harmonic path.

To be a good countersubject to that reminder, may definetely lead to take the right, same harmonic beautiful steps in life...

...our old ones... how much we love them.

Greetings from Mexico.

Anonymous said...

Mario,
Deepest sympathies.
- charmaine

Len Edgerly said...

I'm very sorry to hear of your loss.

Anonymous said...

Please accept my condolences. I just found you site and was saddened to hear about your loss.
Thank you for sharing your piano teaching knowledge with us out here in the internet.

Regards,
Jay

Greenwood Village Colorado

Anonymous said...

I am extremely sorry to hear about your loss.

May your father's soul rest in peace.