Mirada

Lighthouses are always built firmly on top of a rock, whether on the continent or on an island. Their powerful light reminds sailors of hidden rocks that can destroy their ship and challenge their skill. Those who built the lighthouse, as well as its keeper, are aware of something that others might not know. They know that dangers lurk behind opportunities.

Lighthouses are of little use when ships have already struck rocks or reefs. They are of help only before the fact, before the coastal tides and waves take control of the ship. Lighthouses are there for those who suspect the hazards and look for their lights to find the safest and most favorable course. Lighthouse keepers, in turn, have learned to look afar and have seen many a storm swallow competent navigators.

Captains often take their ships to port only during daytime. Most of them evade the fog, avoid storms, and only sail in the safety of the broad daylight. For them, a lighthouse is only a mark, a point, part of the landscape.

But there are many captains who want to arrive earlier. Maybe they are younger or more eager. Maybe they are carrying timely or valuable cargo, and know they must arrive first, ahead of the others. For this reason, they are willing to face nighttime hazards.

Lighthouses signal, guide, direct, and above all encourage those who are bold. Lighthouse keepers are especially interested in guiding these venturers. Their experience, their bright light, and their high location help them support long journeys.

Lighthouse keepers are always following vessels that have moored and those that have sailed. They know how long they remained in port and where they sailed to. They know the tides, the winds, and the birds that signal the seasons. They are experienced in the comings and goings of the waves and tides and have learned to understand a storm from its first drops. They certainly know less than ship captains, who know their vessel better than anyone else does. However, lighthouse keepers are there, on the top of the rocks, to remind captains that perhaps they do not know it all.

The lighthouse’s beam is necessary only to those who already know they don’t know it all, and that to arrive at their destination it is best not to lose sight of the wise lighthouse beam. The eHealth Mentor Institute (EMI) offers light, direction, and the sight of a safe port.