A Letter to My Father!

Hey pai (Dad)!! How are you?

It’s been a long time that we don’t talk…I mean, looking at each other eyes as we always did!
You know pai, there is so much I want to say to you, to tell you…but also I know I don’t need to say or tell you anything because you know absolutely everything that is going on in my life for sure and this certainty is the most important thing on earth to me my dear!

I know you left, but also I know you live in my heart and that we won’t leave alone ever!

Pai, yesterday I was talking to Marcos (my brother) and he was telling me what he was doing to move mom to her new apartment. Did you see how chic she is now? New car, new place…
According to Marcelo(my youngest brother), she is the only old thing there!! Yeah, he is so funny pai! You are so alike! Sometime I look at him and I see you…even the weird nail in the same foot you guys got identical.

You must be very proud of him! He’s a wonderful man pai!! Sometimes I wonder how come he turned out so nicely…since you were not around physically to talk to him, to teach him all you taught us!

Pai, did you see Maria Luiza (my niece)?? She is the cutest creature ever created!! Tomorrow I’ll call her to say about your birthday…I love the way she says Vô Nilo!! I know you would melt completely with her and because of her!! She is sooooooo charming!! And Leandro, he is so tall!! On October 20th he will swim in a official competition and i'll be there to cheer him up!! So cool!!

Yeah, tomorrow is your birthday my beloved father. In telluric year, you will turn 69! Today I made wrong sum and I thought it was 79!! Sorry!! You must be even more beautiful with your gray hair…the last day I saw you, 27 years ago, you were 1 year younger that I’m now and no gray hair at all! Well, I need to be thankful for that because I don’t have any gray hair either!

Pai, I’m kind of curious…is there cake over there? And candles to blow? Do those wonderful people you have there…do they sing “Parabéns pra você”(Happy Birthday)? If not…

Parabéns pra você
Nesta data querida
Muitas felicidades
Muitos anos de vida!!

Viva o Niloooooo!!!!

I miss jumping on you early in the morning on your birthday, with a gift on my hands!
I miss jumping on you pai…
I’d want to be able to hug you right now!! I could give my life to do that even for 1 second…

Pai, I love you!!
Happy Birthday my father!

Kisses,
your only daughter!

**Ah, say to Vó Cotinha and Tia Nida that I send them long kisses and that I love them very much!!

Nilo Rezende Machado 02.10.1938 - 21.05.1980