Personally, lighthouses represent the physical manifestation of our dreams. They’re beautiful and filled with romance; steady beacons that light the path and lead us to everything that is safe and real. Lighthouses stands out among everything around it because that’s their function – they symbolize dreams and hopes, trepidation and fear, and the reminder that it doesn’t all have to be just a dream. I could literally stare at one for hours.

Love life and everything in it. Life is not a show or petty competition, so don’t fake yourself and others out. Be real to yourself and everyone you come across. Never lose your hopes and dreams, nor be afraid to do everything in our power to be that dream – yes, it is within our grasps. When we fall, we need to have the mettle to lean on others until we’re able to pick ourselves up to stand on our own two feet. When we fail somebody else, we need to double our efforts instead of succumbing to defeat and digging ourselves a deeper hole. We need to know what our limits are and when to say enough is enough. It’s not what we do in our lives that is important, when we do it, or even how; it’s the attitude and real meaning behind the what, when, and how that is critical and enables us to be true to ourselves and the people around us.

Every time I see the romantic architectural visage of a lighthouse, combined with the sounds of wind and surf, all of these things flash across my mind in an instant. For most of us, to be happy and joyful…whether we like to admit it or not, it’s a decision. If we’re unhappy, it’s up to the person in the mirror to turn it around. There are so many people born into this world with no choice or opportunity, who do not get a chance to live the lives they want to lead – but we do.