Fearless

While idling at a traffic light, absentmindedly daydreaming, I almost missed her. 

Then out of the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of the statue perched on the opposing corner. The figure, striking a jaunty pose, held a propeller wing. It was famed aviatrix Amelia Earhart.

I later came to learn that Earhart had once called my neighborhood home. In recognition of her connection to the community, and her ardent love of books, the local library was renamed in her honor back in the 1980's. And this past week, aviation buffs once again spoke her name, recognizing the 89th anniversary of her solo flight across the Pacific (flown January 11-12, 1935), the first to ever do so.

The story of Amelia Earhart has pulsed in my veins since I was a young girl. My mother was the first to tell me of her daring exploits. I was instantly smitten. 

So you can imagine how much joy it gave me to discover that scrawled over the fireplace in our town's tiny branch library is a message no doubt inspired by my childhood hero...

"I am a small-winged bird, but I can conquer the world." - Sidney Lanier