I was at a wedding, tonight, for two members of our THPL community. Triathletes to the core they have the Fitness element locked up - - but what impresses me most about them is that their real THPL strengths are in their passion for Life and Learning. And tonight they showed it again. The groom made a speech in which he told of the origin of the lighthouse. I learned that before the development of clearly defined seafaring ports, ships captains were guided, to shore, by fires built initially on the beach and then moved to hilltops to guide ships to shore. Since raising the fire would improve the visibility, placing the fire on a platform became a practice and this ultimately led to the development of the lighthouse. Essentially, the lighthouse functioned more as an entrance marker to ports than as a warning signal for impending dangers in the waters ahead. Whether it was the fire or the lighthouse the development saved lives – such a simple idea had such a profound impact.

It would have been good enough for me (or this post) just to know that we learned something cool about the origin of the lighthouse. But the groom took the idea and built on it. He made a beautiful analogy about how his bride was his lighthouse – she was there to stand steady for him on the shore, She was there to guide him and to help him get to where he needed to go. It struck me that each of us, have at different times, people close to use who play the role of lighthouse for us. We are blessed when it happens and fortunate if it can be integrated into our version of THPL. Either way, say thanks to your lighthouse and do make yourself available to others who need your light to find their way to their own THPL.

Loving life with a lighthouse to guide me

Ciao

Joe