JUAN ROLDAN - MY FIRST TEACHER

Parents are usually the first gods that a person knows. In being our first deities, they really are our first teachers. Born in San Lorenzo, Puerto Rico in 1923, Juan Roldan arrived on the main land of the United States on March 18, 1952. We first moved to Reading, Pennsylvania. I was really too young to remember. A year or so, my father told me, we moved to New York City. We lived on 15th Street and Irving Place, before some of the high risers were erected. We winded up on 11th street between Avenue B and C, (L.E.S.), a pretty tough neigborhood. We lived in a rail road flat at 636 East Eleventh Street(building demolished). A poor up bringing, but, we were happy.

A working class man who worked in the sheet metal industry as a polisher, Juan would always insisted we spoke Spanish in the house and be on time for family dinner. The family always ate together. At dinner he would tell stories about growing up in Puerto Rico, family, and his hopes and dreams for us.
I still remember going to his union job in Brooklyn, N.Y. I was amazed, impressed and realized he was a hard worker. He was a union man. I learned my work ethics from him. I remembered asking him, if I could work there when I grew up. He laughed at me and said in his broken English at the time "I think you can do a whole lot better if you get a good education".. That meant, doing your homework and the best you can. I attribute the my 27 years in the field of education to my fathers desires for me to have a better life. Thanks Pops

Now at eighty four, my father went through two operations on an aortic artery associated with his abdomen. It was a rough stretch and we could have lost him. His will to live helped him overcome the procedures. Kick ass Pops!! He is now at a Bellvue Hospital's Medical Intensive Care Unit healing his wounds and getting ready to go into a physical therapy program.

I'll be retiring from my day job and looking forward to hanging out with my father again. I sure he has other life's lesson to teach me. Please Keep him your prayers.

Respectful Hands,
Hanshi Roldan