The Places I Still Remember October 9, 2022 – Posted in: Books, Edwin Fontanez, News

The story behind my inspiration for One Last Song for My Father

Those who experience this memoir, my most personal work to date, will discover messages of longing, loss, and ultimately love. When unforeseeable circumstances threaten to tear apart the family fabric, we all have feelings of hopelessness. Facing my father’s illness compelled me to take on this personal examination of my father’s life. Since his passing at age 92, I sought to find the strength to explore the path of his life from his early years through his mental deterioration up until his last day.

It was of great importance to me to not only document my father’s journey and my own, but to do so within the framework of the geography of my beloved Puerto Rico. I wanted to remember all the people that are long gone who infused his life with friendship and music, and the places that remain frozen in time. When the refuge of family life suddenly turned into a savage garden of mixed emotions and hopelessness, the changing hues of the day, the clouds hovering over towering mountains, and the sudden crystal showers influenced and colored my conflicting sentiments.

I live in the knowledge that no matter how we resist, moments of happiness are naturally ephemeral and fragile. Even in adversity there is always a strong thread that keeps us attached to the past. Regardless of geographical coordinates, these moments take us once again along the path back home.

When I reached this point in my life, I began to examine my past with a very different mindset. I began to understand, to empathize, to forgive, and to love deeply. The experience of writing this memoir has thankfully offered me a bitter-sweet resolution. It is a fool’s errand to attempt to recapture the past, but my driving force from the beginning of this process was ultimately to rescue and honor my father’s life and his role in shaping me into the man I’ve become.