I am fascinated with lighthouses both figuratively and literally. I am drawn to their history and also their romantic analogy. I look at them and reflect on the mariners who have relied upon them, placed their trust in them and have been saved because of them. I also look to them as a symbol, a symbol of hope and a symbol of endurance and a symbol of dependability.
I am blessed – I have friendships that are a constant in my life. They are like a beacon shining bright, leading me away from destruction and away from the rocky shores. Friendships, like lighthouses, can be perpetual and ever burning, helping us through turbulent times and shining bright with encouragement. Those who shine their light outward are rare and magnificent. They give off warmth and a glow that leads myself and others into their safety net and leads us away from the turbulent waters and rocks. They can be “an ever fixed mark” that we look to when our way is lost or has become unclear.
Florida’s coastline is still dotted with many of these lighthouse remnants of the past and they hold a special place in the hearts of many Floridians and lighthouse enthusiasts who look to them with a source of pride.
Most of the state’s 30 existing lighthouses offer photographers beautiful scenic backdrops to these lone-standing symbols of direction and hope. It seems that visiting and photographing lighthouses has become a popular hobby for many and I myself enjoy touring them whenever I get a chance.
Throughout the history of the lighthouses in the United States, they have been seen by most as a necessary obligation of both civic and personal pride. Even Southern history enthusiasts state that one of the reasons the Confederacy succeeded from the United States was the Confederacy’s opposition to most of the taxpayer-funded internal improvements; yet even the Confederacy explicitly allowed and encouraged public funds to be spent on lighthouses.
I am thankful for my friends and their love. I am thankful that our friendships have endured the years of separation and have become bouyant once again. I am thankful for the memories of the wonderful days of youth that we are able to share together and reminisce about.
There are two ways of spreading light. To be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.
- Edith Wharton
Like a lighthouse shining in the distance, our friendships have grown and flourished and brightened the landscape around us. They have brought us together into the future with a promise of more good days and good times ahead.
As we go into the future, shining brightly, bringing pieces of our past with us and promises of the future, I am thankful and blessed to have these wonderful people and our friendships in my life.
The language of friendship is not words but meanings. ~ Henry David Thoreau
For all of my childhood “Plains Gang” friends. This song, more than any other, helps me to remember “us”.
For Now and Always ~ I Love You,
Tammy
