Most of us are familiar with lighthouses. My hometown is near the sea. I grew up by the sea but lighthouses weren't that common where I was. I think there was an old lighthouse in Lumut but I can't remember for sure. Dad used to tell us stories about lighthouses very often when we visited Lumut in the evenings. We always enjoyed the sea breeze there in the evening and weekends. For us those evening trips were treats and they'd send us into an excited frenzy, LOL!!
A lighthouse warns a sailor of impending dangers. Sometimes it is a welcomed sight to a castaway drifting at sea. To see a lighthouse means that you are near land.... saved!
I had a conversation with a friend recently. And it got me thinking about it. You know how it is that some of us turn out all right, and how some just screw up their lives. Sometimes we might think that some of us are unfortunate, somehow things just got skewed up in our lives; our dumb luck or fate as how some might call it. But I disagree. I think along life's journey, many lighthouses appear at different points of our journey. They give us warning, even beckon us sometimes to head for safe harbour. It's just sometimes we just don't seem able to take heed, sometimes we're like a ship without power, helplessly dragged by the currrents towards the cliffs or rocks, sometimes we just don't want to. Yet sometimes, there are currents which drag us away from the safety promised by the sighting of the lighthouse. And sometimes lighthouses fail too.
But sometimes, for some reasons, like the resolute captains who fought the elements which tried to swallow them, we draw on strengths and determination and come out of a peril, scarred but alive and stronger. We stay focus on the light from the lighthouse and steer into safety and another lease of life.
I thank God for those lighthouses in my life - my family, friends, teachers and even those whom I came into contact briefly, for providing that beacon at a times even when I sometimes don't realize I needed it.
I look back into my past, the friends that I made, those who stayed by me, guided me with their words of wisdom, inspired me through their actions, empowered me with their words of encouragement, prodded me and even held my hands in my difficult times, those times which weighed so heavily on me, and I am glad for they were the lighthouses in my life.
And I have seen too how so many of the MYFers of my youth being guided by the ever faithful older ones. They guided us, showed us possibilities, helped us in our lessons.... and it resulted in many unimaginable 'successes'. Lighthouses.... They dot our life though sometimes we miss them and still get strayed.
1 comment:
AJ 7, on the shores of the Great Lakes there were powerful light houses. So much so that in the darkest night, the wildest tempest and roughest sea conditions, captains of sailing boats focused on these Guides and they were sure to be lead safely to the harbours. You are blessed to have Lighthouses to guide you.
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