Lady Liberty

I have always had a fear of the Statue of Liberty... I suppose it is probably because she is so large. (Because of all the abuse I suffered as a child, I was always afraid of things that were too big, because in my mind, I always saw adults as being much bigger than they actually were.)

But there really is no reason to be afraid of the Statue of Liberty... I see her large frame as more manly than feminine, which for some unknown reason is a bit frightening... Perhaps it is my fear of getting too big. (lol)

I may be wrong, but I see her as a portrait of Jane Morris, one of Dante Rossetti's models ~ the portrait of beauty in Pre-Raphaelite art, which is my favorite art, by the way...

 Born as Jane Burden, she was uneducated and came from a poverty background. It is said that she was destined to become nothing more than a domestic servant... but after her marriage to William Morris, Jane reinvented herself through education, she learned to speak two languages, and she became a favorite model for many artists of Pre-Raphaelite art... 

Stories like these are inspiring to me... even though it took her a husband to reach those heights. (lol)... I love that for a woman of her time, she was able to transform herself into something better than what she was destined to be... because that is what I have been  struggling with my entire life... 

The Statue of Liberty was created after the Roman goddess Libertas... another story that fascinates me. Here was another woman of knowledge and justice ~ the voice of the people guided by light, liberty, and truth... yet another story that stands for what I stand for and believe in...

We may see ourselves as modern, but people of the past had their stories, too... Stories of love and truth and independence ~ stories that guide us to strive for something better within the very depths of our souls...

So even though she may seem a little bit frightening, this statue is a great symbol of pride, independence and hope ~ a cry heard around the world for all the world... and we, the American people, have her standing in New York's harbor... what pride... what inspiration... Thank you, France, for this beautiful gift...

REQUEST:  My birthday is 17 days away... I am looking for coins that have the date 1953. If you have any, especially foreign coins, please let me know if you are able to send them to me. If you are an American, look through your purses now! LOL