Today I was sitting enjoying a coffee and looking up the coast towards our gorgeous lighthouse and I got to thinking of the symbolism that comes with that lighthouse….

The lighthouse stands confidently near the edge of the cliff, it is consistent and reliable and guides boats to safety. It shines its light a long way, and impacts many. It is built strong and sturdy to weather any storm….it has a clear purpose and stands tall and confident, knowing exactly what its role is….

A lighthouse is trusted by all, and represents a symbol of strength, of protection from storms and harsh conditions, it provides shelter and a place of harbour and protection from storms, when in the dark there is nothing visible, though it can guide to safety and an inner peace.

A lighthouse offers refuge and hope to others and assists in weathering significant storms, but I noticed it also stands alone.

As I thought about it even more, I realised that of course the lighthouse too, is not really alone, it requires maintenance and checkups to ensure it is standing strong and doing its job…. a lighthouse keeper must do this, even a lighthouse cannot stand fully alone….

The role of the lighthouse is simple yet comes with so much responsibility. If the lighthouse had too complex a role or was not properly cared for then the light would dim and ships would be lost at sea…..

The lighthouse operates in both light and darkness and has a bright light, a beacon as a focal point which symbolizes strength, guidance, hope and safe harbour. It serves as a beacon for all who are venturing or possibly adrift.

It is erected at the highest point of land and close to the dangers of the sea and the rocks below. It weathers gale force winds, pelting and torrential rains and yet it stands strong, it is a pillar of strength, standing out from the dangers below.

And from its circular tower comes the guiding light that shines in all directions and allows others to use it as a focal point to guide them through the turbulence they face.

And I realised that whilst it is easy to only focus on where the light is shining, the lighthouse serves to shine its light in all directions, and rotates around the entire 360 degrees so you have the ability to gain awareness of what else is out there, that you hadn’t ever thought to notice…. you can then see the entire opportunities that lie ahead of you, and around you and utilize the lighthouse as the guiding light to continue to explore and guide you on your adventures and experiences.

Of course life is full of ups and downs, that is inevitable, and it’s really easy to focus on the rough seas and the danger of slamming into the rocks and this really takes so much of our energy….that we often forget to look up and see the lighthouse which serves as a guiding light to help us to weather the storms, it provides direction, and stability and is there to highlight the possibilities for us all.

No matter how turbulent the seas become, it can then be possible to identify who your lighthouse is, and then take it one step further and you can focus on the guiding light of the lighthouse….and shift the focus inwards to your own inner lighthouse, the inner strength…that guides you to your own inner peace….

For even though it may not feel it at the time, all storms eventually pass and we can set out again on calm seas and still waters and sail towards something new and another adventure….

I love the lighthouse and all that it represents….