The sun was dipping lower in the western sky as I walked around Pemaquid Point Lighthouse yesterday. With each step, the light was ripening more golden and the shadows were growing all the leaner.
The sense of tranquility permeating the air immersed me in a moment of pure contentment. And though daylight was ebbing, it did not take its customary leave without imparting ample splashes of richness and remarkable revelations upon a scene destined to be splendidly fleeting.
With the venerable 1835 lighthouse at my back, I cast an admiring gaze seaward. Oh the wonderment, blue and vast! To the north I could see Franklin Island and its white tower rising boldly on the horizon. Eastward, the majesty of Monhegan Island prevailed upon the deep. The seascape was center stage and its artistry was beyond compare.
As for the sea, its lethargic mood rendered not agitation, but rather a profound peacefulness. Even the wind was at rest upon nature’s canvas. Amidst the enthrallment, my eyes drifted downward toward rock formations ancient and formidable.
It was then – to my astonishment, that I discovered the shadow of Pemaquid Point Lighthouse gracing the face of the etched and impervious. Such subtlety, such essence – and such a gift for the heart! As I soaked up the sight, within it, I sensed the present and past holding hands.
No words were spoken, no attention was demanded by the moment unfolding. The marvel simply passed quietly as the sunlight melted into a deepening pool of shadows. Before turning, I tucked the experience away in my memory and smiled at how lighthouses beckon us beyond their sheer beauty.
In these moments of wonder, lighthouses are able to transcend the physical, touch the abstract, reveal what has come and gone before us – and bring joy to our spirit as we go forward. Leaving Pemaquid Point Lighthouse, I made a promise to myself…I shall return once more!
"Such subtlety, such essence – and such a gift for the heart!" What a wonderful way of describing the moment and splendor of scene!