Remembering Caitanya Nitai Prabhu on the Day of His Birth

On the birthday of my father, Trento Ferrini — Caitanya Nitai Prabhu — I feel the desire to remember him with gratitude.
From him I learned the value of duty performed without ostentation, of responsibility undertaken with seriousness, of punctuality, order, respect for one’s commitments, and the ability to organize work with intelligence and dedication.
He also possessed an artistic sensibility which, though expressed with sobriety, helped bring greater harmony to all that surrounded him.
I remember with particular emotion that in 1976, after my meeting with Shrila Prabhupada, when I shared with him the meaningful experience I had lived through and my intense desire to put into practice the teachings I had received, only three days later my father joined me on that path, with all his punctuality, commitment, and dedication.
Many of the qualities that I now consider precious in my life are rooted in his example.
For this reason, as I remember him, I feel esteem and, above all, affectionate gratitude for having protected me, educated me, and loved me.
Matsya Avatara Dasa