Twinkle Twinkle Little Child

The Power of Innocence

When it seems the whole world is coming undone,
When no one remembers the meaning of fun,

When none of your plans come to fruition,
When you start to doubt your very life's mission,

When you desperately need that twenty-fifth hour,
When your trademark smile has gone and turned sour,

When you need a friend but none heed your call,
When you just want to scream and your back's to the wall,

When all of your dreams still seem miles away,

When you feel all alone at the end of the day,

When you hold in question your own higher power,

When your endless faith has waned and turned sour,

That's when you see a little child smile.

That's when you know it all is worth while!

The Brewster

The Statue of Liberty (LIBERTAS)

One of Few Female Figureheads More Famous Than Queen Elizabeth II

I just read a great history of The Statue of Liberty on Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statue_of_Liberty). The lady ("Liberty Enlightening the World") has quite a past. The entire story is very inspiring. It is a wonder that it all came together the way it finally did.

It is ironic that this world famous icon of might, power, and freedom is depicted as a woman when the country it represents still has a hang up about electing a female President. Go figure! I digress.

The story and the artefact are so awesome it inspired me to write the following:

The Brewster

**************************

They tell me that I have made these words by Emma Lazarus famous:

"Give me your tired, your poor,
your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed, to me:

I lift my lamp beside the golden door.” 

Thank you, Emma. I have indeed seen them come from afar through wind, storm, floods, hurricanes and wars. They reached my lofty perch and stared. I can not offer encouraging smiles and words but I hear and see. Millions of them. They are inspired. My creators Bartholdi and Eiffel would have been proud. 

There was a dedication for me in 1886. That keeps me smiling internally - a private joke. I am the only woman in history who had an erection so famous it was celebrated the world over. It has been a long and arduous 133 years. 

I have been fixed and cleaned; rebuilt and enhanced; had my head and crown adjusted; my arm strengthened and my skin re-vitalized - the wish of so many other women. Yet here I still remain.

I have seen this country build itself from scratch after casting out its imperialist rulers. Here we have built a symbol of what a united people of all creeds and colours can do together. The world was in awe.

133 years I have held this torch, cradled this tablet, born this crown and posed for countless millions of people in awe of me and all I represent.

But I am tired. I am fearful that after all that I have witnessed and endured the worst is yet to come. 

I fear that instead of standing for victory and opportunities in the future, I will become a remnant of the past. I am told that there is a famous movie in which the world has self destructed, and it's lone human survivor happens upon my arm and torch still protruding above nothing but sand and rubble and all that was. I fear this is underway - NOW.

I fear that there are those who wish to undo all that I have stood for right here for 133 years. Must I develop a tear flowing from these famous eyes like so many of my lifeless fellow creations to make you take notice? If I could I definitely would.

Take heed. I can no longer stand tall to represent a former nation which allowed dark forces from within to tear itself apart. Take a long look at me. I broke through my chains and I am always moving forward - not back. 

I have outlived any other woman. I want to stand here just as proud and dominating for many more hundreds of years.

Please. I have never asked for anything else.

LIBERTAS

A Few of my Favourite Things

This should be easy ...

In one of my posts I featured pet peeves. It was easy to come up with a long list.

Significantly more difficult was developing a list of my favourite things. It should have been the easier of the two. This must say something about life today - at least mine anyway. I should mention that I don't have kids and recognize that they will probably make this list easier for those who live for their family. 

Here are a few things that give me satisfaction, a feeling of warmth, and a desire to replicate the sensation:

• Spelling and pronouncing words the English / Canadian way and hearing my American colleagues express dismay - like favourite over favorite! Just kidding
• Shoes that are comfortable from the first fitting and stay that way made better only by comfortable socks
• The aroma of freshly baked goods including roast beef and turkey
• A really good carrot cake, apple pie, or butter tart
• Really good and probably expensive perfume, but only a dab - not the cheap stuff that some women splash on like holy water. I say it again - less is better
• A really attractive female whether individual the parts or the total being
• Making others laugh, even at my own expense
• The laughter of children, especially infants in a group. They have not yet learned anything evil
• A well composed, uplifting, and eloquently delivered speech
• Solving a problem others were unable to solve
• Sitting outside early in the morning on a pleasant day with nothing but the sound of nature to distract me - minus the crows
• Satisfying a hunger with great food or a thirst with cold water or beer
• Completing a difficult physical task I hated doing
• Hearing someone at the gym say I am in great shape, even though they diplomatically omitted the "for your age" part
• Preparing a meal and having my partner say it is really good. Makes me regret all the years I neglected to say the same to her day after day. I did sometimes but should have complimented her more often
• As with the speaker, a very talented and accomplished singer who hits every note bang on with limitless pitch and volume and total control over both. Examples: Celine Dion; Karen Carpenter; Barbra Streisand; Josh Groban; Roy Orbison; Colm Wilkinson in Les Mis.
• Shooting a really good golf score. This one is still on the bucket list.
• Appreciating a really clever new invention
• People who can genuinely listen without interruption and when appropriate, offer help or suggestions
• The opposite. People who value me enough to share something but know when enough is enough and give me a chance to comment if I should wish to
• Knowing that I can and will keep a secret, and people who will do the same for me. These are as rare as the Loch Ness Monster
• Finally catching a very bad criminal(s) and seeing justice done