Caroline Brennan

I mean, shouldn't they be in the U.S.?

And he said, well, every time I wrote dad, he would always put my letter back in his envelope and send it back to me.

And he said, I just always figured he didn't want them to be found.

And I think he was right.

And Michael never met our dad.

My dad went to Germany at some point.

They set a time to meet.

Michael was ready.

My dad didn't show.

I don't know why.

I can't ask him.

And my father was a wonderful father to my sisters and I, but I think in my gut, he was just afraid.

And I thought a lot about fear since meeting Michael and how it can just get in the way of connecting and of living your life.

And when I left Michael's home, I had a couple of days in Berlin to walk around, and my head was just spinning.

And I just kept thinking, I never want fear to get in the way of living life.

especially in a city where people had torn down the walls to live.

I just thought, I can't let anything get in between having connection and relationships and the opportunity to just raise my flag and say, I am here.

Thank you so much.