I’m going to leave you alone soon, I promise, but here is another humbling e-mail I had to share:

Before I tell you my 4th of July plans, I must give you background context: I moved to NYC in 1998 to be a rock star. I had long hair, was a high-school dropout, and I had no money nor prospects of ever making a reasonable living. We lived about a mile north and a mile east of the World Trade Center on Avenue B in the East Village. My worldview was informed by the Boston Globe (I grew up in Boston) and then the NY Times. I voted “D” my whole life since 1984, and I was always anti-war. But then the 9-11 terrorist attacks occurred. I realized I did not know who these al-Qaeda people were. I had completely forgot about the 1993 World Trade Center bombings! I decided I didn’t know as much about world events as I thought I did (and I thought I was pretty well-informed!). I decided I was going to start reading other news sources, and the first one I chose was National Review, in addition to WSJ and Fox News. To my horror, you guys actually made sense with documented evidence, no matter what the issue. After much reading and soul-searching, I decided to join the military. I was 38 years old. The Navy Reserve was the only branch who would accept me because of my age. I did a year deployment in the Persian Gulf in 2007-2008 as part of a small boat unit patrolling harbors and ports. I have gone back to school full-time on the generous GI Bill to become a high-school math teacher. Joining the military was the best move I ever made, in terms of becoming a responsible, mature, results-oriented man. It only took 38 years! And now, my 4th of July plans: My wife and I are going to a cookout at a friend of a friend’s place who is from India, who left India and started a new life here in the US. Once poor, he is now in finance living in a beautiful suburb in NJ. I will reflect on the freedom and liberty afforded to me and my family by the sacrifice made by others, particularly our military men and women. I will think about our Founding Fathers, and their foresight and genius. I will eat cheeseburgers and potato salad, drink Pepsi, and maybe smoke a cigar with new friends. And yes, I will be reading NRO to stay informed and inspired. Thanks for all you do, K-Lo, and thank you National Review. Happy Independence Day!