I met my father for lunch today, and he had an early birthday present for me. It was a piece of the above mural in a picture frame, along with a brief description.

About Yakov's Mural
After 9/11, Yakov Smirnoff used his art as an outlet for his grief. He created the painting "America's Heart" including a special message that reflected his belief in the human condition.

"The human spirit is not measured by the size of the act, but by the size of the heart."

Yakov shares that, "Along with so many people, I was stunned as I watched the images on television on the morning of September 11; and what made this devastation even more grievous was to know that what I was watching was coming from New York harbor, which is the home of the Statue of Liberty. She had to stand there and watch our American landscape changing in front of her very eyes, never to be the same. And yet she stood there, together and strong without wavering. I think it's a wonderful metaphor for all of us, to stand there, together and strong, without wavering, in love and not fear."