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Fifty trips around the sun |
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December 8, 2017 |
By U.S. Congressman Raul Labrador
I hope you don’t mind if I get a little bit
personal in today’s newsletter.
On December 8, 1967 – 50 years ago today – the
biggest story in America was the Vietnam War (“2
Battalions of Vietcong Crushed in Mekong Delta”
was the headline in the next day’s New York
Times); the number one song was "Daydream
Believer"by The Monkees; the number one movie
was Hells Angels on Wheels (don’t worry, I’ve
never seen it either); and the number one toy
for Christmas was Battleship. Oh – and that day
was the day I was born.
Today, on my 50th birthday, I’m in a reflective
mood – thinking of the many blessings of my life
so far: my mom; my wife and children; great role
models from my childhood; great friends from my
life today; and a great job that I owe to you,
the people of Idaho.
As most of you know, I was born in Puerto Rico
to a single mom – a wonderful, amazing woman
named Ana Pastor. I was her only child. There
were more than a few times that my mom wasn’t
sure how she was going to put food on the table,
but I never felt poor. My mom was strong, smart,
and brave. She taught me the values of hard
work, honesty, education, and loyalty. She also
believed in me and taught me to dream big. She
sacrificed everything in her life to provide me
with every opportunity to succeed. There’s no
love like a mother’s love, and my only regret is
that she isn’t here to share this day with me
today.
When I was 13, my mom and I moved to Las Vegas,
where her first job was as a change girl in one
of the big hotels on the Strip. She set a great
example, rising to become a restaurant manager
in a different hotel, while spending her time
off taking college courses. She ultimately
graduated from the University of Las Vegas. At
the time, I was like many teenage boys - full of
ambition, but also needing discipline and
direction. My mom’s strongest desire was to find
a place where I could have the right influences
that could shape my life.
This quest led us to investigate, and eventually
join, the LDS Church. There I met amazing men
and women who had a huge impact on my childhood,
coming into my life at exactly the right time.
My Bishop and spiritual leader was Ed Smith. He
was a kind man who took a very personal interest
in my life. I also joined the Boy Scouts, and it
was there that I met my scout leader, Bob Swift.
They both became strong male influences on me –
teaching me and the other boys about the
importance of hard work and making sure we
always gave 100 percent to whatever task we were
doing. One of the proudest days of my life was
when I finally attained the rank of Eagle, and I
would never have been able to do that without
Bob's support and Ed’s encouragement. Their
leadership and guidance reinforced my faith in
God, my belief that I should work hard to
achieve my dreams, and that, in turn, inspired
me to pursue my college education at BYU.
I began attending BYU in the fall of 1985. It
was there that I not only received a great
education, but I also met the love of my life,
Becca. Becca and I have been married for 26
years and I could not ask for a better spouse, a
better life partner, or a better friend. She is
the one who gives me the confidence and courage
to do what others think is impossible every
single day. She also gave me the greatest gift I
could ever ask for: our five children, Michael,
Katerina, Joshua, Diego, and Rafael. I am so
proud of our kids, and I love seeing them grow
up and blossom in their own unique ways.
PHOTO 2
A few months from now, my eldest son Michael
will have the chance to experience the same
pride and joy he’s given to me. He and his wife
Rachel are expecting their first child, and I
will be a grandpa for the first time. Michael
and Rachel met at BYU and graduated together
earlier this year, exactly 25 years after Becca
and I did. Now Michael and Rachel will be taking
their own turn on the circle of life, and I am
so excited for them.
There’s one other group of people I’m thinking
of today – and that’s you, the people of Idaho.
I am grateful to you for giving me the
opportunity of a lifetime to be your
Representative in Congress. Four times, you have
chosen me to be your voice in our nation’s
capital; to fight for you; to fight for what’s
right; to make Idaho a better place to live,
work, and raise a family. It’s a great
responsibility, and I am humbled by it. Thank
you for giving me your trust and confidence. I
will continue doing everything I can to deserve
it.
I’ve heard it said that the key to happiness is
“someone to love, something to do, and something
to look forward to.” On my 50th birthday, I am
blessed to have all three. Thank you for being a
part of it. |
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