Living on the coast of the Pacific Ocean for the majority of my life had allowed me to pursue my interest in lighthouses. I have taken three road trips: one up Highway 1 along the coast of California, one to the beautiful and rugged coast of Oregon, and one to the many inlets and lush coast of Washington. Planning my adventures ignites the visceral anticipation of exploring these architecturally varied and isolated towers.
Hiking a fern and evergreen lined winding trail to the water’s edge and suddenly coming upon the object of my search, standing radiantly on the edge of a rocky cliff, or driving along a flat and sandy shoreline with the lighthouse growing taller and more substantial as I approach…these moments capture and imprint all the delight and awe of discovery.
Why lighthouses? The painted towers; the remoteness; the symbolism of solitude, strength and endurance. I find myself planning even more adventures and daydreaming about the romantic notion of living in a lighthouse or keeper’s quarters, existing within the history of welcoming and protecting those who travel by water.
The first framed art for my psychotherapy office was a series of three photos arranged horizontally. The photos are of a lone lighthouse steadfast against a turbulent sea. As I view the photos, I see the durability of the structure and not the peril of the raging sea. The photography is by Jean Guichard; the title is Phares Dans La Tempete...The Beacon in the Gale. The photographs symbolize my belief in surviving life's storms.