The Lighthouse

This little lighthouse stands brave on the banks of Lake Michigan. It is located in the sleepy beachside town of St.Joseph in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula. Several years ago, I lived in an apartment just a short distance away from its shore. The lighthouse and I go a long way back. I have walked along the pier leading up to it countless times over the years. I would sit at the very end of the pier on summer evenings, with my legs dangling off the edge, gazing out into the watery horizon for as far ahead as I could see. Some days blissful and content, waving at the boats coming in. Some days sad and contemplative, lost in my own thoughts. I have seen the sun dip into the calm blue waters ahead of me painting both the waters and the sky a brilliant red.

In summer, the pier gets quite busy with locals fishing, high school kids diving off its hot concrete slab into the cool summer water, out of town visitors posing to take photos by the lighthouse. But in winter, it stands deserted, weathering the winter storms all alone. And that's my favorite time of all to visit it.

I no longer live as close by as I'd like to, but I still sometimes drive up to say hello. I visited the lighthouse last week and took the photos above. With all the snow storms we’ve been through this winter season, it’s hard to even tell where the “sandy” beach ends and where the frozen lake begins. And yet, seeing my brave little lighthouse standing strong amidst the frozen icy waves of countless winter storms fills me with endless hope and inspiration.

~vagabond~ © 2009

A winter walk along the beach

I took a walk along the beach on this cold winter day. With the summer crowd gone, the beach stretches on for miles ahead of me, empty and lonely with barely a soul. It’s loud and noisy today, in the anticipation of yet another storm. The waves roar as they soar up high and crash to the ground. The cold winter wind whistles as it dances along the shore. Gulls squawk loudly as they dive noisily for fish. And I walk on, energized by the sounds of the rumbling concert around me.

I snuck up on these two as they strolled lazily along the beach, together, side by side, with hands behind their back. Sometimes stopping to gaze at the waves coming in. Sometimes stopping to inspect new treasures brought in.

We stumbled upon this treasure together, swept up along the shore. I’m not sure what to make of it – an abandoned nest of love built of bits and pieces of straw. Tiny clams now take refuge in it, huddled together against the frigid cold.

But my favorite find of all is this big piece of driftwood washed up along the beach. The lines etched into its wood speak of journeys long and far. Adrift for so long, baggage carried by the waves, now weary and tired, it lies forlorn by the shore.

I love winter walks along the beach. The loud, noisy concert, the refreshing cold air…and you never know what treasures you’ll find today, buried in the sand.

~vagabond~ © 2008

The calm after the storm

Choppy waves, turbulent and strong, surge through the turmoil of the sea

A whirlwind of different emotions storms on deep within me
The waves crashing, the wind howling, a sky filled with darkness
Babies crying, mothers wailing, a world devoid of happiness
The rain falls long and hard all through the night
Guns shooting, soldiers fighting with all their might
But when the storm is over, the sun still shines
And even when the last tears have dried up, Mumbai your spirit will still shine.

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Dedicated to the Mumbai attacks on the 26th November, 2008.

For me, the true spirit of Mumbai does not lie amidst a defeatist resilience or a self-inflicted martyrdom in accepting what has been handed to it and moving on. Rather, the true spirit of Mumbai shines in the ability of the bindaas city to stand up in unison for what it believes it, and demand the respect that is rightfully due of it.

~vagabond~ © 2008

Red skies

That passionate hour of the evening

when the sun sets the sky on fire.

~vagabond~ © 2008