A Father's Day ode to Papi, and what I never asked

Journalist Kristina Puga regrets she didn't ask more questions to her own dad, Fabián Puga, as she honors his legacy on Father's Day.

I recently told someone that I had no regrets in life. I attributed it to the fact that I always took on opportunities and challenges as they came to me, thanks in large part to my dad’s advice.

“Life goes so fast,” he would always tell me. “Never waste time.”  

I didn’t fully comprehend the significance of those words as a kid, but as an adult, I see them as a gift branded into my mind. Those few words have helped me make choices toward living life to its fullest.

Fabián Puga with his daughter Kristina and son Greg in the 1980s at a park in Queens, New York.Courtesy Kristina PugaBut shortly after I made the comment, I realized I did have one regret — and it’s a big one.  

You see, for years I interviewed scores of people, age 60 and up, for my blog called Wiser With Age. I felt older Americans in the U.S. were not as revered as in other countries, and in fact, I felt they were almost forgotten and discarded. So I went on a mission to try to prove how impressive, and worthy of attention, they were by interviewing one person aged 60 or over every week. I interviewed fascinating individuals — bestselling authors, a Sioux chief and a champion body builder in her 70s, among many others.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/fathers-day-tribute-immigrant-dad-rcna157175

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