through the fog
beacon of hope emerges
lost in time
I posted about my trip to Nova Scotia recently, and wanted today to share another story from there. For one day on that trip, I visited a friend’s place that looked out towards “the salvages”, and in the distance the square form of the salvages lighthouse was just visible. Like the other lighthouses of the region, this one no longer has a permanent lighthouse keeper and instead is automated.
Lighthouses are symbolic of so much – in the literal sense they warn sea-going vessels of the rocks, shoals and dangers ahead, ensuring chances of running ground are diminished. But their steady, solid presence also represent a beacon of hope in dark, dreary times. One can imagine being in a terrible place, scared and lonely, and then seeing up ahead in the distance the blink of the light – letting you know that shore is near – helping you get your bearings.
Probably 25 years ago or more, I had a very vivid dream about a mystery associated with a lighthouse and the lighthouse keeper’s family. This dream came to me as I was sleeping in a hotel room in Spokane. Just I was waking up I heard, on the radio, an interview with the author of the story – a novel. Upon waking I jotted down the title of the book and filed that. I looked it up some time later, but couldn’t find the book. There was so much detail in the interview – I could almost smell the coastline and hear the waves. This was a narrative set in perhaps Nova Scotia, or maybe off the coast of Maine – those rocky, howling coastlines. The places where the full force of the Atlantic crashes relentlessly during the winter months.
The dream was so vivid it took me years to come to the realization that the interview with the author was just a dream. I just could not find the book title.
The lighthouse of my dreams was on a rocky island, much like the Salvages Lighthouse – only accessible by boat.
Whenever I see lighthouses my mind is therefore filled with stories, myths, ideas, dreams and symbols.
© Christopher M Buddle 2024
Nature's Reverie 