Statue of Liberty

I've been mentally making a list of American icons for this blog.  I started with Mt. Rushmore and now in honor of New York City, I am adding the Statue of Liberty.  This is an American icon if ever there was one.

Why are icons so important?  After all, they are trivialized by souvenir stores and lampooned in political cartoons.  We can find salt shakers, banks, charms and stand-up poster boards all in the shape of this great lady.  Have a friend who vacationed in New York?  Be prepared for photo after photo of the Statue of Liberty (as if we've never seen it before).

We may roll our eyes at such cliches, but they serve a purpose.  Standing in front of a vast monument, the cliche dissolves and the symbolism magnifies.  The feeling is often unwanted and unexpected.  Your heart swells with pride.  It's not just about being American, but it's pride for being human.  The potential for greatness is all around us.  How easy it is to forget!

"Give me your tired, your poor,

Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,

The wretched refuse of your teamming shore.

Send these--the homeless, tempest-tossed--to me;

I lift my lamp beside the Golden Door."

                                          Emma Lazarus