0130C: Building a Beacon

I wonder how many lighthouses are still in use out there in the world. In this age of technology with radar, sonar and other instruments used to read the course of the seas and oceans, how many people still rely on old lighthouses trying to shine their light amid the darkness of night?

There's something beautiful and magical about lighthouses. Their very nature is a strange one - they are duty-bound to keep a light shining no matter the conditions in the hopes that passing ships will avoid crashing upon the rocks. They don't even get to communicate with the ships they save - they just stand there as passive beacons of safety in the gloom. They are silent guardians of the shores for both the ships and those who live by the waters. They shine unceasingly night after night, without ever an excuse for taking the day off.

Right now I feel somewhat adrift at sea. Clouds obscure the stars and it's difficult to find my way. Don't get me wrong - Tobie forever remains my anchor, my safe harbor in any circumstance. I know I can trust him to provide that kind of strength and support for me. But at the same time I feel confused inside - or perhaps more like I'm being torn in several directions. One part of me wants to act and be decisive - to take action and assert control and try to do what I think is best and right. The other part of me advises caution and reminds me that these things take time. Patience and understanding are more important here and I can't force a solution.

Thus begs the question - am I the ship lost at sea or the lighthouse trying to show the way home? And at this point, I know I'm feeling a mix of both.

As much as I feel adrift, I know I also need to remain strong. I need to provide reassurance and comfort to those I love. I need to be stalwart and certain in my love and how I feel and faithful to my commitments and promises. In that sense, I know I'm doing my best to keep shining, to keep friendly ships from crashing against the shore or getting landlocked in shallow waters. That's what a lighthouse is supposed to do, right?

And so I shine a light to guide ships home. Home to their families. Home to their loved ones. Guide them back to safety, comfort and warmth. And as much as it's a big responsibility and perhaps a potentially tiring and even seemingly fruitless job, the rewards are more than worth it. The sense of fulfillment of helping to guide people home means a lot to those who man the lighthouses of the world.

Come home to us. I continue to shine a beacon of light, hope and love to help you find your way. May you draw strength and inspiration from this seemingly small and trivial act. It may not be much, but know that I do this will all my heart and give this freely without expecting anything in return.

As it should be when it comes to love.


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