The Most Beautiful Moments - Vincent's Dad

Vincent's wife, Dariah, shared this picture last week and I haven't been able to get it out of my mind. I have had three dear friends lose their parents in these last two months. I realized, now at age 41, that the majority of my friends only have one parent left. The loss of loved ones is by far the hardest part of getting older. Vince and I were in a cooking class together in high school. We were divided up into teams and Becky Hausner, Boo Scarpati and Vincent Martinez and I were on the same team. I have such happy memories of those times cooking with him. Vincent now is both a musician and professional photographer. Below are his words about his father and I wanted to share them with all of you as a tribute to both of them.

"Last Jam Session"

Vincent Martinez and His Father,

Theodore Michael Martinez

"Surreal doesn't even begin to describe this moment. There has always been a guitar playing in my life. It all started with this man, and I am certain at one point in time these roles were reversed. There is also significance to the 1953 Guild guitar in this picture. It belonged to my dad's brother Ruben, his widow gave it to my dad to keep. Right before my dad's last heart surgery, dad gave it to me and I knew why, he didn't expect to survive. I looked him in the eyes as he went to the O.R. and said, "you know I will see you again" and thought and you will play Ruben's guitar.
On this night hearing my uncle Cesar play and sing "Tu y Las Nubes" to my dad for the last time I was transported back to warm summer nights in our yard sitting, listening to the three of them playing and singing and laughing. It was a connection the three brothers shared for decades.
Last night, as I plugged in my bass and thumped those first few notes of "Lay Down Sally" I realized something, I have always know what tradition meant, but I now know how it feels." --Vincent Martinez