Column: A Spanish cover of ‘One Day at a Time’ brought me comfort after my father’s cancer diagnosis

For a good chunk of my youth, my mother would take us to a born-again church two or three times a week in hopes that the Spirit would catch. It never did with me, and by the time I was a fifth-grader, I had convinced my mom to let me bring along a book. If I was going to be somewhere for more than an hour, I’d at least get some reading done. But whenever Hermana Francisca would walk up to the head of the congregation, I would put down my Encyclopedia Brown book and pay attention.

I didn’t know much about her other than life had perpetually dealt her an awful hand. Still, no matter how bad things got, she would stand in front of everyone every week and speak of His greatness. The weight of the world and her plight would make her voice break and force tears to stream down her face during her testimonials. But she never crumbled. Instead, she would break out in song. Her go-to was “Un Dia a la Vez.”

To this day, hearing her sing that hymn is the closest I’ve ever come to having a religious experience.

In 1973, country and gospel songwriter Marijohn Wilkin, with the help of protege Kris Kristofferson, penned “One Day at a Time” after a crisis of faith. As the story goes, Wilkin felt lost one day, so she stopped by a church and asked the preacher for guidance. His counsel? Look at your hardships as blessings.

Personally, that feels like terrible advice, but Wilkin took it nonetheless. Divinely inspired, she rushed home.

“When I reached the house, I found it was empty, and I was glad. I sat down at the piano and began to play and sing — out loud — the entire chorus to ‘One Day at a Time,’” she said. “‘That’s all I’m asking from You. Just give me the strength to do every day, what I have to do.’ It just dropped into my heart.”

The song, she would say, “was a prayer,” one that brought her comfort. It was, Wilkin believed, destined to be a surefire hit.

Since its writing, “One Day at a Time” has been covered by hundreds of artists in multiple languages. Cristy Lane made it a No. 1 country hit in 1980. A year later, Los Tigres del Norte would cover it. Given that I grew up in south Texas (puro 956, cuh!), the version I’m most familiar with is by conjunto legend and accordionist Paulino Bernal, who found Jesus and became an evangelist in the mid-’70s.

Whether in English or Spanish, it’s easy to see why the song resonates with so many people. It’s a tacit acknowledgment that suffering is a part of the human condition, and sometimes the best we can do is take it day by day.

I have taken the song’s message to heart over the last two years, ever since my father was diagnosed with Stage 4 cardia gastric cancer.

The last 12 months have been particularly overwhelming. Though my family and I were initially encouraged by how my dad had responded to chemotherapy in the early months after his diagnosis, things headed south in 2023. His treatments became less effective over time, and the cancer spread to other parts of his body. It became difficult to witness a man who was the pinnacle of strength be hollowed out so quickly from the inside out.

The author’s parents

(Fidel Martinez)

In those moments of darkness, I turned to “Un Dia a la Vez.” I would play the song on planes as I flew to Houston to accompany him to his appointments and in the anticipatory moments before his oncologist gave us the latest news.

It also resonated during moments of joy. In 2023, my sister had a child and my father met his youngest granddaughter. My brother and I helped him knock some things off his bucket list — the biggest was a trip to Mexico City last month to witness Club America, el club de sus amores, win their 14th title at Estadio Azteca. As the song says, “mañana, quizá no vendrá,” so we resolved to make the most of the time we have left with him.

It’s only been a week, but I can already tell 2024 will be even more challenging than the previous year. His health will further decline and more unexpected trips to Texas will be booked. But whatever may come, I hope that I can take it one day at a time.

Sometimes, that’s all you can do.

Things we read this week that we think you should read

From De Los:

Peloton instructor Camila Ramón and her fan club are changing how Latinas view fitness

The Peloton instructor is helping create a positive narrative around fitness for Latinas, changing the conversation from aesthetics to physical and mental health.

Venezuelan media mogul Gustavo Cisneros, who co-founded Univision, dies at 78

The company confirmed his death across social media Friday, calling him a “visionary leader whose influence extended far beyond the confines of the business realm.”

For indie band Luna Luna, making music in Spanish and English represents their full identities

In a scene dominated by DIY punk and rock bands, Luna Luna stood out with their lo-fi vibes and dreamy bedroom pop sound. They found that their background as a Latinx four-piece also set them apart from their peers.

From Los Angeles Times:

Two exhibitions — at VPAM and the Cheech — put Chicanx bodies front and center

Work by Teddy Sandoval at VPAM and a multigenerational exhibition at the Cheech dig into queerness, gender and the politics of the body.

Wealthier Asian American and Latino voters in Orange County may be pivotal in upcoming elections

“Modestly partisan Republicans” in Orange County may be pivotal in deciding hotly contested congressional races that could decide which party controls the House.

100 people follow up street takeover with mass break-in, officials say, trashing Compton bakery

A mob of more than 100 people burglarized a bakery in Compton early Tuesday after participating in a nearby street takeover, according to sheriff’s deputies.

Native tribes are getting a slice of their land back — under the condition that they preserve it

A conservation group hopes to turn a newly purchased Utah ranch into a model for working with tribes to protect wilderness in the American West from real estate developers, mining companies and oil drillers.

Is Marco Fabian arena soccer’s David Beckham? One man is counting on it

Marco Fabian is a two-time World Cup player for Mexico now playing arena soccer in Ontario, where the team owner hopes to grow the game with former outdoor stars.

Ignacio E. Lozano Jr., longtime La Opinión publisher, dies at 96

Under him, the newspaper expanded from focusing largely on foreign news to covering local issues important to Latinos that the English-language media ignored or misinterpreted.

Alaqua Cox supera todos los desafíos como la heroína sorda de Marvel en ‘Echo’

Esta es la actriz sorda, nativo americana y amputada que se pone a la cabeza de la nueva serie de Marvel.