Mother of Exiles!

Have you ever read these words?

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she
' With silent lips. "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!"
Emma Lazarus

The words inscribed in Liberty Enlightening the World, or as most people know it; The Statue of Liberty! How many of you have visited it in person, and felt the empowerment of this national symbol erected to celebrate our freedom, and the melting pot that makes this country great? Better yet, how many of us have researched the history behind this amazing woman? I challenge you to do a little Google search and learn the little things that make this wonder so impressive, like how many pennies thick the copper is, or the story behind Emma Lazarus, the author of those inspiring words.

What inspired this jaunt through history? Well to be honest it was a chapter in a book I'm reading, but then I began to ponder...Am I doing my job as a parent and mentor if I don't inspire my children, grown or not, to appreciate the wonders of our history and where their heritage came from? You have to pass it on to the next generation before it's lost, because trust me, if it's allowed to be forgotten, it will be. Or rewritten to fit someone's agenda...Not on my watch! So since I was just notified of a huge family reunion on my mother's side back up north, a side trip to the Statue of Liberty with my two grown sons is way overdue. It's never too late to have a teaching moment......

God Bless!

Capt. Bill