A year has passed since the characters in Hold Me Close start sharing their beliefs and concerns. In Surround Me it’s 1773 and life is changing. Family members choose sides. Families begin to think about leaving the colonies and returning to England.
Would I have wanted to leave my homeland to go to a country I’d never seen? Afterall, most of the citizens had been born in the colonies.
Louis has major decisions to make about his business and his personal role in the disturbances in Charles Town. His thoughts are never far from his dilemma. “After meeting the suppliers, Louis realized his purpose and his role in the future. He was willing to coordinate shipments of arms and ammunition if the need arose. The word ‘smuggling’ never surfaced, but in a way, he was lending his aid to the Partisans to defeat the Loyalists with the help of the French. His small role would be just one more step to the larger goal.”
The question that confronted every adult citizen in the colonies no matter what side was “Are you willing to give your life for this cause?”
Louis’ brother put it this way: “You are willing to give your life and your wealth on foreign soil for this cause?”
As we look toward our Independence Day, we can ask the same questions. Am I willing to give my life for the cause of freedom?
The word “home” comes to mind. Louis was a Frenchman but he came to see Charles town as home. Home is where one chooses to be and where one will make sacrifices to defend. Louis saw difficult times in his native home and his chosen home and he decided to put his efforts to help build a better future for a foreign land. This story shows the connection that people have to place and also the power of relationships.