How to Be a Lighthouse for Others
"Lighthouses don't go running all over an island looking for boats to save;
they just stand there shining."
Anne Lamott
This summer, my husband and I traveled to northern Michigan to visit one of my childhood best friends. One evening, as we watched the sun setting over Lake Michigan, we walked out on a pier towards the lighthouse pictured above. I snapped the photo and was stunned. Right then, I decided the lighthouse picture would be the subject of my next post.
Sitting at my friend's beautiful cottage overlooking Crystal Lake, I recalled a seven-day writing challenge I joined in January 2021. Each day, a different word was suggested as a writing prompt. I reflected on the word, wrote, and then created an Instagram post. The challenge jumpstarted The Imperfect Journey's Instagram account. You can check out each day here: New You, Progress, Shine, Twenty-One, Fresh, Rhythm, Celebrate. I decided to approach my lighthouse photo in the same way. I used the picture as a prompt to write a post, and here it is!
The Lighthouse
Out in the distance, a lighthouse stands beneath the setting sun, encircled by water and looming dark clouds.
Its light shines bright.
A beacon.
A safe haven.
A place to set your sights when you've wandered off the path.
I stopped to ask the questions…
Where does my light shine?
How can I be a beacon or a safe haven for others?
We can do that, you know. We can be a lighthouse for others.
Anne Lamott says, "Lighthouses don't go running all over an island looking for boats to save; they just stand there shining."
And
Buddhist monk and author Thich Nhat Hanh explains how to support your friends and family when they are suffering in his book Fear, Essential Wisdom for Getting Through the Storm:
"Even before you do anything to help, your wholehearted presence already brings some relief, because when we suffer, we have great need for presence of the person we love.”
So remember, we don't have to rush around frantically trying to say and do all the right things. We just need to be present to those around us. To put down our busyness. To let our light and love shine. It can be a simple practice.*
Stand Still.
Be a Lighthouse.
Listen.
Be Present.
Shine!
Walking the Journey with You,
MeganPrayer for September:
Dear God,
You are my lighthouse. You are a beacon, a safe place. Even from a distance, I can see your love shining bright. I hope to be the same for others. I worry about saying and doing all the right things. I want to fix their problems, but I can't. Help me to slow down, be still and present, and simply listen. Let your love shine through me. Amen.
*Mindfulness practices are an incredibly useful way to be more fully present. To learn more, check out Mindfulness Daily in the Transformational Toolkit. It is an excellent free course by Tara Brach and Jack Cornfield, including 40 short daily lessons (10-15 minutes).
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