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(St. Simons Island Light House, Georgia)
We have long since returned from our vacation back on the Georgia coast and have settled back into the store's daily routine.
But every now and then I think about our trip, how much fun it was to visit new areas, see different quilt shops, and walk on the beach. (Ask Randy what he found with his metal detector, next time you see him!)
While staying on St. Simons Island, I became enchanted with the lighthouse. We toured the historical home that housed the keeper of the lighthouse. We also climbed the round set of stairs that lead to the very top. The views of the Atlantic Ocean, Jekyll Island, and the waterway to the Brunswick Port were spectacular.
As the tour guide described the duties of the lighthouse keeper, I became very aware of something. The sole duty of the lighthouse keeper was to carry the oil to the top of the lighthouse every night and light the beacon. This gave guidance to the ships at sea, to help keep them safe. We all have been charged, in one way or another, to give guidance to someone. Whether it's in a spectacular way where everyone can see our work, or even if it's in a subtle way, where no one else can visualize or acknowledge what good has been done.
The lighthouse keeper performed his duties faithfully, yet did not receive daily praise for his important job. However, he continued it night after night, year after year. Many times we continue to keep our light shining, yet we never hear the words "thank you" or "well done". But just because we don't receive the much welcomed pats on the back, it does not negate the importance of our job, which is to bring light to those around us.
It is my hope, that i can bring a little light to someone who needs it, and by that light, their path is a little less muddled. But I must be faithful, like the lighthouse keeper, and carry the oil to the top each and every night, so as to keep the light shining, and not allow anything to snuff it out. Because, someone who I may never meet, or ever see, might be passing by and just might need that small light to guide them.
I think I would have loved to have been a lighthouse keeper.
