One of my favorite stories about the Fourth of July has nothing to do with fireworks or beer or barbecuing. Once most of the signers of the Declaration who WERE in Philly signed, they PEACED OUT. They LEFT. They were terrified about the repercussions of signing and openly defying the King and Country. It's fascinating. Because now we revere them as brave- which they were! But in the moment, there was real fear for families and wives and recriminations and the future and they signed with those uncertainties and none of our knowledge now that they made the right decision. When I see countries in turmoil now, I think of that- that is is real, and scary, and the future isn't known. . I also think of Opa as a 17 year old on Iwo Jima (or Iwo, as he always called it). And I think of the soldiers abroad now, and hope that their familes- and we as Americans- revere them both on the battlefield and afterwards, as I do Opa. Happy Independence Day!
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