For the first time in American history, the United States Supreme Court opened session this past week with 3 women Justices: Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Sonia Sotomayor, and Elena Kagen.
Justice Ginsburg grew up in Brooklyn, where her mother worked in a garment factory. Her mother died one day before Justice Ginsburg was to graduate from high school. Losing a mother this young might have sent her down a very bad path. Her sister had died during childhood, as well. She certainly had reason to be angry. However, in an interview Justice Ginsburg shared this thought about her mother: "I pray that I may be all that she would have been had she lived in an age when women could aspire and achieve and daughters are cherished as much as sons".
While Justice Sonia Sotomayor's background of being Catholic, living in the Bronx, and losing her father, was very different to Justice Ginsburg's background, she too, has great admiration for her mother. After her father died, Justice Sotomayor's mother worked 2 jobs to support her children. The research has shown that the surviving parent is critical in how the child processes the death of a parent. At the induction ceremony, Justice Sotomayor, credited her mother for her success with this moving statement: "I stand on the shoulders of countless people, yet there is one extraordinary person who is my life aspiration. That person is my mother, Celina Sotomayor." Obviously, her mother was a great surviving parent.
Justice Elena Kagen was raised in a more affluent family than the other two Justices and both of her parents lived to see many of her professional successes. However, in accepting her appointment to the Supreme Court, Justice Kagen revealed her feelings of her parents not living to see her ultimate success: "If this day has just a touch of sadness in it for me, it is because my parents aren't here to share it." Justice Kagen was fortunate to have her parents on earth much longer so that she feels their investment in her accomplishments. Yet, they aren't here to share her ultimate success. No matter how old you are, when you are celebrating a major event in your life, you want to feel the pride of your parents.
What a difference a parent can make, even when the circumstances are extremely hard. In working with families and children whose parent has died, I believe a good parent, either through living or through spirit, can inspire a child to greatness. I attended a banquet this year for the children of 9/ll to present my dissertation study. I was shocked and saddened when I heard the woman next to me say, "It's 'game over' for these kids". It wasn't "game over" for the Justices, was it? Life Shines On in the Supreme Court.
