The strangest thing

Yesterday I heard a very interesting speaker, James Bradley, the author of the book Flags of Our Fathers. His father was one of the soldiers in that famous photo of raising the flag on Iwo Jima during WWII. He says it’s the single most reproduced photo ever. His father had kept silent about the battle, the flagraising (on day 5 of the 36-day battle), and being awarded the Navy Cross. After his father died, the family found some old letters and memorabilia the father had kept. Mr. Bradley was inspired to contact the families of the other men in the photo to learn about what happened on Iwo Jima. He learned much more than that, including how his father and the other 2 men in the photo who survived the battle were treated as heroes back in the states (his father had said the real heroes are the men who died in battle) and went on a war bond tour and raised $26 billion in 2 months. Only later did Mr. Bradley determine to share what he had learned about these men by writing this book. He spoke about how the photo symbolized doing the impossible. It was a remarkable message. Who knew a cruise lecture could evoke such a reaction.

Here’s what’s strange about this. When we were in Rio, we visited a little museum in the back of the Sambadrómo (see my earlier blog entry). Did I tell you the Carnaval is a competition of samba schools, and every element of their program is scored, including their theme? On the wall of the little museum was a mural sized photo of one group’s theme from some time past. It struck me then as so odd they would choose this scene as a samba theme. See all the green army helmets on the dancers? Part of their costumes.

I didn’t share this photo in my blog about Rio because it was such a curiosity. I’m sharing it now because of the extreme contrast in my two recent experiences centered around this, for me, almost sacred photo.

Sometimes life throws some strange twists in the road.