Lighthouse

I suppose that if I could choose to be any sort of inanimate object, I might choose to be a lighthouse.  I say that simply because I was just sitting here thinking about a topic to write about and glanced at a calendar I have of lighthouses all over the country.  What a great metaphor the lighthouse is, though–something that provides guidance for others constantly, keeping them safe and sound, just by doing quite simply what it was made to do.  A lighthouse helps sailors find safe passage, and as it does so it’s providing a valuable service to the families of the sailors, the owners of the ships, the people who benefit from the safe passage of the ship. . . all sorts of people in all sorts of situations.

I’d like to think that tomorrow I can shine just as a lighthouse shines, that I can provide guidance and safe passage to people whom I influence in life.  I’d like to think that I have a light that shines for others, a light that they can see and trust and know that it’s there for them whenever they may need it in the future.

A lot of companies and schools use the lighthouse as a symbol, though I’m not quite sure that it symbolizes what they want it to.  After all, doesn’t the fact that a lighthouse is on land mean to the people on the ships “Avoid this place!”?  To me, though, it isn’t the message of the lighthouse that’s important–it’s the light and the trustworthiness of such an important object.

As the song goes, “This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine.”  In one version of the song, there’s a verse that goes, “I’m not gonna make it shine, I’m gonna let it shine.”  What a wonderful image this is–there’s no need to try to force things to happen how we think they should through our efforts; rather, just being who we are is providing the world with a very valuable asset.  We all have light, but do we let it shine?  Do other people see that light shining in us?  Is it a beacon for others to see and to respect and to be grateful for?  Or do we keep our light covered out of fear of someone else putting it out somehow?

All I know is that when I see a picture of a lighthouse, I see a picture of something that I’d like to be, even if I’m speaking just metaphorically.  I have light and I want others to see it.  Perhaps when they see my light shining, they’ll find the strength to let their own light shine as bright as it possibly can.