by Gloria Baker

 

     He wanted to die on the Fourth of July and he did.  He believed in networking with people and the only way he could do it in his world was to write a lot of letters, and he did.  It is estimated that he wrote at least 2000 letters in his lifetime. He was a Renaissance man.  He lived during a time in our history when one man could know everything there was to know, if he so chose, and he did.

     He wanted to design and build with his own hands a curving brick wall and he did.  It still stands proudly upon the hallowed ground of his estate. 

     He wanted to design and build a wall of words so tightly constructed, so uplifting, so spiritual in its meaning, that to this day it gives one shivers to read it and he did.

It is the Declaration of Independence and that red headed genius Thomas Jefferson wrote it.