I received the loveliest birthday present this year. My youngest daughter took me to revisit Lady Liberty in New York City. The new museum in the statue’s pedestal is far nicer than when I visited many years ago. I learned, for instance, that there were many images of Liberty in the past; some bearing swords, banners, or a torch. A debate ensued among the artists planning the image, of whether Lady Liberty should hold a sword, a banner, or a torch, and the consensus was that the sword symbolizes conflict, the banner leadership, but the torch, enlightenment. It was decided that Lady Liberty should bear the torch of enlightenment and her name would be Liberty Enlightening The World.
Curious footnote: The artists chose a woman carrying the Torch of Enlightenment to represent Liberty, and yet, not one woman was allowed on the island for the statue’s inauguration. Boats of women protesting the discrimination circled the island and the women cried out, “If She were alive, She would be banished from the island!” These women helped strengthen the focus of Women’s Suffrage in America.
I couldn’t look at Lady Liberty’s torch without thinking of the coincidence of our including the flame of inspiration in our seal and recognizing the identity of enlightenment. Liberty brings enlightenment to the world. The Law Collaborative brings enlightenment to the legal profession. I like to think we’ve borrowed a bit of the flame from the Torch of Liberty and added it to the seal of The Law Collaborative, bringing Peace to the Legal Process through Enlightenment.
I hope your next birthday is as happy as mine was.
