It’s the first day of the new year. That means I should probably write some long and profound post about the promise of new beginnings, lessons of the past, and what it means to start fresh. But to be totally honest, that all seems wildly overdone, so I’m going to write about something different.
Lighthouses.
I can’t pinpoint the exact moment I realized I had a fascination with the historic beacons that light the way for ships and sailors to make their way safely back to shore, but I can tell you it began with a trip to Hobby Lobby.
Now, I’ve been obsessed with all things oceanic since I was seven years old and my parents took me to SeaWorld for the first time. One day, I’d love to make enough money to have a permanent place by the ocean, but for now, I’ll have to stick with traveling and daydreaming. And pinning an absurd amount of photographs to my personal Lighthouse Pinterest board.
As it is, I’ve only had the privilege of seeing a handful of lighthouses firsthand, and I’ve never actually been able to explore one. I did get awfully close to Pigeon Point in California, however.
I also sailed right past the one on Alcatraz on a tour of the Bay.
I really want to take a tour of Alcatraz one day, as it’s supposed to be one of the most haunted places in America and, as you all may know, I sort of have a thing for the paranormal.
Other lighthouses I have seen but not actually visited include…
The first two pictured are in Scotland. The white one sits in between Oban on the mainland and the Isle of Mull. The second can be seen from the Isle of Inchcolm. The third lighthouse is in Monterey, California, not far from the Aquarium.
This is my lighthouse collection.
I’m not really sure why I felt like writing about lighthouses today, and truthfully, I’m not sure I’ve actually even said anything worth reading. I just wanted to start my new year off talking about something I love and that really stirs my imagination. I think it’s good to remember, as the holidays season draws to a close and we all head back to the hustle and bustle of everyday life, to remember that there are places and buildings and people that really inspire us and that serve as a reminder that there is so much more to life than we often allow ourselves to experience.
I’ve been in the real world, and to be honest, nothing has ever felt less real to me. Stories, books, fairy tales, adventure, and lighthouses… those have always seemed the very foundation upon which life and dreams and reality are supposed to be built and based.
Maybe I’m setting myself up for disappointment. At almost 26, I’m probably supposed to be a little more interested in getting married and settling down and mortgages, but it hasn’t hit yet. Maybe accepting “reality” just isn’t part of the way I’m programmed. Maybe I’m just a late bloomer. But until the day comes when I do decide to finally take my place in the “real world,” I’ll be hard at work on my next novel and daydreaming about beacons of light over a vast and timeless sea.
Lay down your head and close your eyes
And rest your weary soul,
For the lighthouse shines through fog and rain,
And night as black as coal!
Though winds are lashing and waves are crashing
On coral reefs below,
The beacons call and beckons all
With its majestic beam aglow.
When stars are out and seas are calm,
And eventide draws nigh –
The seafarer rocks in a cradle of waves
To the Lighthouse Lullaby.
– The Lighthouse Lullaby, Anonymous
A Platform of Sorts 
