I came across a lighthouse, it was not the kind you see on postcards. This one was of brick and mortar no longer new yet worn. It seemed to have received some damage over the years, what looked like the cannon ball-sized holes had been shot through the tower section. They had since been repaired, cement now patching the gaping holes of the once picturesque structure. I ran my hands across these patches, noticing that while not perfect, it was again ready to endure the future. As I stood beside this pillar of light, its past began to play before my eyes.
It's light was dull as it stood in darkness, and it had taken a beating from an age-old battle. The light had been snuffed during this war and left this house in disrepair. I began to look around and I saw the keeper of the column. He seemed to be a skilled carpenter, and appeared to have much experience in lighthouse repair. I began a conversation with the man as he worked.
"Sir tell me why you are working so diligently to repair this dilapidated structure? It doesn't seem to be worth saving, you might have better luck if you started off fresh."
He began to tell me that he had kept and repaired many lighthouses. He never left them to fall apart, as he always saw they were worth repairing. He then explained that always restored the structure first before he would replace the lantern. I continued to watch as he made his repairs, knowing the night would come again, and there would be a need for this light. I then began to wonder why this light was important enough for the man to tediously repair it. I continued my curious questions.
"Sir, why is this lighthouse important to you?"
"This lighthouse is the only one here, the night will come again and there will be great need for its light to shine. Its purpose is to beckon the ships ashore" he said.
I asked, "What kind of ships are to come?"
He answered, "The first to come are those who will carry supplies to build more lighthouses."
Curious, I asked, "Sir but why will there be more lighthouses to be built in this same area?"
"The general plans for his army to come here. These lighthouses will not be built here on the shore but further inland."
"How are lighthouses part of the army?"
"In the darkest of night is where many things are able to hide, here in the area of this lighthouse, is where the enemy's camp is hiding."
Skeptical, I asked, "How do you, a simple keeper know all of this sir?"
"I am the general's son."
"Why are you not warring with his army?"
He was patching the last hole, when he finished, he looked at me and said, "Its not yet my time to war, so until then, I will continue to repair lighthouses, because my war is not one of the night but of the light. My battle will be at the end of the war. Until then, I must continue to repair the lighthouses, so that these ships may find their way to the battle."
"What kind of weapon is a lighthouse anyway?"
"It is no weapon, though as the new lighthouses are built, the army will be watching. These ships, the second wave, carry warriors in the night, these are the warriors of light."
As he began to refuel the lantern, I had to ask him, "why must there be more lighthouses inland?"
"The further inland the lighthouses, the taller they are and more clearly expose the location of the enemy. When viewing them from the sea, if all the lights are aligned as one the captains of the ships know that they are on target to land, however, if they see many lights they know their course if off, and they have to be realigned."
I thanked the man, and I stepped back, my hand back on the cement patched cavity. My history lesson was now complete, and the lighthouse ready to hold its ground once again. I stepped back from the structure and gazed at this lonely spire. I began to realize this turret and I shared a similar story and we both had the same keeper. I climbed back to the top of this pillar, dusk now falling. I wanted to watch as the lantern began to glow once again, I looked back inland to see only one other lighthouse, it was only now under construction. Though, still I was at peace, because I knew that more lighthouses were coming.
daneK
