My favourite lighthouse is at Umhlanga Rocks, KwaZulu-Natal. It stands next to the Promenade, outside the Oyster Box Hotel. I love looking out to sea and seeing the ships beyond. This was the view from my balcony at the hotel at sunrise on a beautiful morning in November 2011.
If you have ever read ‘Care of the Soul’ (Thomas Moore) you’ll know what I mean when I say this experience puts me in touch with my soul. These beautiful surroundings make me feel ‘whole’.
This sight stirs my imagination. I came up with some facts and questions which I’m sharing.
It is fascinating that every lighthouse throughout the world has its own unique colours and patterns.
Q: What are your (true) colours?
Q: How are others perceiving your patterns?
Lighthouses have identifiable flashes. The Umhlanga Lighthouse has ‘group flashing’ every twenty seconds and the range is 24 sea miles.
Q: What signals are you sending out to others?
Q: How do you make yourself known when some-one else is experiencing darkness?
Lighthouses stand firm on the rocks.
Q: What keeps you ‘grounded’?
Lighthouses mark a geographic location. The Umhlanga Lighthouse is positioned at 29 43 41.57 South, 31 05 18.20 East
Q: Where do you choose to position yourself?
Q: What is your territory?
The ships waiting to go into Durban harbour use the Umhlanga Lighthouse as a beacon.
Q: How are you ‘showing some-one else the way’?
Lighthouses are designed for a purpose.
Q: What is your purpose?
Q: What will it take for you to fulfil your purpose?
Lighthouses have ‘keepers’ or ‘custodians’. The Oyster Box Hotel, in the early years, ‘managed’ the lighthouse from the front-desk area of the hotel. In many cases, ‘port authorities’ manage the lighthouse.
Q: Who are your ‘keepers’, your ‘custodians’? Who is supporting you?
Q: Who are you supporting?
According to www.lighthouses.co.za, the Umhlanga lighthouse ‘stands guard to some of the most treacherous waters of Southern Africa and not only warns ships of the hidden dangers, but the flashing light is also a welcome to the ships sailing into the safety of the Durban harbour’.
How can you help others who are sailing in ‘treacherous waters’?
How can your light help others sail to safety?
The questions above may help you to reflect. If you’d like to share your own ‘lighthouse’ questions with me, you are welcome to please send me a personal e-mail at brenda@146.66.90.172
To learn more about the Oyster Box Hotel, please go to www.oysterbox.co.za. You’ll see the lighthouse on the home-page and have a look at the magnificent photos in the ‘outdoors’ section of the photo-gallery.
It would be great to see you there!
Warm wishes,
Brenda
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