DEAR SOPHIA,

TODAY IS MY NAMEDAY, SEPTEMBER 17TH IS YOURS AND AUGUST 15TH IS YAYA’S. NEXT YEAR SOME PLACE SPECIAL…WITH GOOD FOOD TO CELEBRATE.

HISTORY: YOU ARE EUROPEAN. THE WORD IS DERIVED FROM EUROPA. ALL OF EUROPE IS DERIVED FROM THE NAME EUROPA. EUROPE RECEIVED ITS NAME IN THE MOST UNUSUAL OF CIRCUMSTANCES. SOME GREEKS FROM THE ISLAND OF CRETE KIDNAPPED THE DAUGHTER OF THE KING OF TYRE. THAT IS THE KINGDOM THAT IS ACTUALLY IN PRESENT DAY LEBANON.

THE GREEKS FROM CRETE TOOK EUROPA BACK TO THEIR ISLAND AND FROM THEIR SHE MADE HER WAY SOMEPLACE FURTHER ON THE MAINLAND. SHE WAS NEVER HEARD FROM AGAIN. BUT BECAUSE SHE WAS THE DAUGHTER OF A KING WHO WAS KIDNAPPED AND HER NAME WAS EUROPA ALL THE LANDS NORTH OF ATHENS THAT WERE KNOWN TOOK ON THE NAME EUROPA. NOW HER NAME LIVES FOREVER. SO EVERY TIME YOU HEAR THAT SOMEONE IS A EUROPEAN OR WE TALK ABOUT EUROPE, WE ARE REMEMBERING THE KIDNAPPED DAUGHTER OF THE KING OF TYRE.

THIS IS JUST A QUICK HISTORY LESSON TO REMIND YOU OF HOW DEEP AND RICH YOUR HISTORY IS.

ONE LAST TIDBIT: THE CONTINENT OF ASIA IS NAMED AFTER THE WIFE OF PROMETHEUS. THAT IS THE GOD THAT GAVE MAN FIRE.

I KNOW THE SANDS OF TIME ARE RUNNING OUT. I AM EVER CLOSER TO BEING DONE WITH THIS. I WILL SEE YOU SOON.

143

love,

dad