Just off the shore, on the south westerly tip of the island, stood a lighthouse. It had been built many years before, when this part of the seas had been a busy trade route. It had seen huge ships carrying valuable cargo to rich men in elaborate houses. It had also been a guiding light for the hardworking fishermen who cast wide nets to catch food for hungry mouths.
As time moved on, though, the shipping routes moved. There were more efficient ways to journey to the island. The most valuable goods were brought by air as the rich men became more impatient and they became aware of more extravagant goods from more distant lands. As the years passed the seas became more still and the need for protection less urgent.
The ships stopped coming and the lighthouse keepers went home to their families.
People barely noticed the lighthouse. Its paint slowly faded. Families started going further afield for their holidays and so fewer people visited the shores.
No-one noticed the lighthouse lamp kept glowing night after night. Even though no-one cared for it any more, it still stood, strong and proud, resilient to the waves relentlessly crashing on its sides and the weather wearing away at its paintwork.
Despite the fact that no-one was watching, the lighthouse remained committed to its duties. One day it might be needed and until then it would continue to fulfil its responsibilities.
The wind would taunt the lighthouse. “Why do you keep working. No-one needs you any more. You are wasting your time.”
But the lighthouse knew that as long as the darkness came, it would continue to shine its light. Just in case.
Years and years passed. Cracks began to show but despite the challenges brought by time the lighthouse remained resilient. Each night it seemed to be harder for it to shine its light but it shone it anyway. This was what it was built for.
But over time the lighthouse started to serve another purpose. In the autumn, on their long journey home, birds started to use the lighthouse’s beam as a marker during storms. It reassured them that they were on the right track and provided a resting point before moving on. The older birds used it to bring relief to their tired wings and it provided a landmark for the younger birds who were not yet familiar with the route.
The lighthouse was unaware of this. Each night it shone its light in hope that a ship would pass. Each night felt like failure.
Then, one day, some important people with clipboards came to the shore. They pointed at the lighthouse and had very important conversations. They would go back to their offices, they decided, and make decisions that only important people are allowed to make.
In the boardroom, the important men were all in agreement.
“The lighthouse serves no purpose.”
“It is an ugly eyesore.”
“Its light is probably costing lots of money to run.”
“No-one needs this anymore.”
They ordered the lamp to be extinguished.
That night, the light went out for the last time. Darkness extended across the seas.
The night seemed colder and the sea looked as though it extended into the abyss.
That autumn, the birds arrived as they always had. But instead of seeing the comforting glow they were expecting, all they were met with was darkness.
The older birds circled in confusion. Some of the younger birds turned back. Others changed their course, thinking they must have been mistaken and accidentally flown in the wrong direction.
When the storms came, the birds were tired. With no guiding light many plummeted into the seas below, consumed by the angry waves.
In the weeks that followed the important men started getting reports. The bird populations on the island were in decline. Migration patterns had become chaotic.
No-one could understand why but the important men decided it was probably just a coincidence. They had more important things to do anyway. There were lots of crucial decisions they needed to make. They weren’t that bothered about birds anyway.
The lighthouse hadn’t shone for gratitude or status. It shone because it understood that darkness existed.
And even though no-body knew it, even the lighthouse itself, it was needed.
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