The pain was unbearable. The sorrow too deep. What had happened? How had it happened? I don't know. All I know is that as I slept, hundreds of lives were lost -swept into eternity by the waves of the world.
The captain was so proud of his ship when the passengers marveled at its enormous size as they boarded. The ship seemed so powerful, so safe, so unfailing. Not one of those who had entered its doors expected the utter destruction that they would face within a few hours.
The ship started for its destination smoothly. Its course was set and seemed safe enough. But subtly, so subtly the winds began to pick up, the waves rose and the boat swayed. "Oh, it's only a storm," said one of the passengers. Others reassured each other that it would soon pass. They ate, drank, laughed, talked and blindly ignored the warning signs of the oncoming storm.
The ship rocked harder, while on the shore a few miles away stood a lighthouse. It was the symbol of safety and rescue from the clutches of the ocean's deadly arms. One man controlled the light that penetrated the darkness. The tower emitted continuous rays that shone ever so bright and glorious to those who were lost and desolate on the waters. But the light's rays didn't shine that night. The ray of hope was gone, and only darkness took its place.
I was tired and my bones ached from the day's work. As I lit the huge light that could be seen for miles, my mind was far away. I worried so much about other problems which I thought were so important that I performed my job poorly, going through the motions with a certain aloofness. There was nothing to warn me, nothing to alert me to the things to come. The weather seemed perfect for sailing at the time I arrived, and my lighthouse had always been lit every night for the past ten years. I never thought the light would go out.
The captain struggled all night to keep control of the ship. If only he could see the lighthouse and make it to that light, then he could save his boat. But where was the light? He should have seen its glow by then, as he had for the last ten years. Where had it gone?
I had operated my lighthouse so well that I had earned an excellent reputation, and the captains who sailed these waters trusted me. I had saved many lives over the years and had worked hard. But that night I was tired and wanted to quit watching for lost ships. I hadn't noticed that the light had started to fade a little when I closed my eyes for what I thought I would be a short rest. While I slumbered, the light dimmed even more until, at last, its rays flickered their final spark of life. Just as quickly, the storm fell over the lighthouse, and what once was a symbol of life lay in black, deadly silence.
The captain knew that the only way he could lead his passengers to safety from the terrible storm was to find the light, and soon. But the more he searched for it, the worse the storm got, the harder his boat was hit. Suddenly, the ship that seemed so indestructible smashed mightily into a group of large boulders that had gone unnoticed in the ocean depths. The impact of the collision crushed the lower side and sent water flooding into the boat at a sickening speed. With no way for the captain to stop the ship's inevitable destruction, he tried to get some of his passengers out of the body of the ship that would quickly become a cage of terror and death. A few of those nearest the exit managed to escape, only to become paralyzed with shock as the waters sucked them under violently. The rest were not even able to fight for their lives, and they met eternity all too quickly. Within a few minutes-but what seemed like a lifetime-the boat, the captain and passengers were lost in the ocean. All that lingered was the smell of death.
I was startled into consciousness by a piercing crack that sent shivers down my spine. I opened my eyes to find total darkness, My light had gone out! What had I done? I jumped to my feet as the sounds of screams and cries rang in my ears. I tried to relight the light that I had so carelessly allowed to blow out. But my efforts were futile; I was too late. I could only watch them vanish from view of the light that should have been there to save them. The pain I caused myself and the families of those who had died in that short time would burn deep for years to come. The time that I slept may have been short, but the consequences would last much longer. If only I hadn't slept. If only I had kept my light burning. If only....
The captain was so proud of his ship when the passengers marveled at its enormous size as they boarded. The ship seemed so powerful, so safe, so unfailing. Not one of those who had entered its doors expected the utter destruction that they would face within a few hours.
The ship started for its destination smoothly. Its course was set and seemed safe enough. But subtly, so subtly the winds began to pick up, the waves rose and the boat swayed. "Oh, it's only a storm," said one of the passengers. Others reassured each other that it would soon pass. They ate, drank, laughed, talked and blindly ignored the warning signs of the oncoming storm.
The ship rocked harder, while on the shore a few miles away stood a lighthouse. It was the symbol of safety and rescue from the clutches of the ocean's deadly arms. One man controlled the light that penetrated the darkness. The tower emitted continuous rays that shone ever so bright and glorious to those who were lost and desolate on the waters. But the light's rays didn't shine that night. The ray of hope was gone, and only darkness took its place.
I was tired and my bones ached from the day's work. As I lit the huge light that could be seen for miles, my mind was far away. I worried so much about other problems which I thought were so important that I performed my job poorly, going through the motions with a certain aloofness. There was nothing to warn me, nothing to alert me to the things to come. The weather seemed perfect for sailing at the time I arrived, and my lighthouse had always been lit every night for the past ten years. I never thought the light would go out.
The captain struggled all night to keep control of the ship. If only he could see the lighthouse and make it to that light, then he could save his boat. But where was the light? He should have seen its glow by then, as he had for the last ten years. Where had it gone?
I had operated my lighthouse so well that I had earned an excellent reputation, and the captains who sailed these waters trusted me. I had saved many lives over the years and had worked hard. But that night I was tired and wanted to quit watching for lost ships. I hadn't noticed that the light had started to fade a little when I closed my eyes for what I thought I would be a short rest. While I slumbered, the light dimmed even more until, at last, its rays flickered their final spark of life. Just as quickly, the storm fell over the lighthouse, and what once was a symbol of life lay in black, deadly silence.
The captain knew that the only way he could lead his passengers to safety from the terrible storm was to find the light, and soon. But the more he searched for it, the worse the storm got, the harder his boat was hit. Suddenly, the ship that seemed so indestructible smashed mightily into a group of large boulders that had gone unnoticed in the ocean depths. The impact of the collision crushed the lower side and sent water flooding into the boat at a sickening speed. With no way for the captain to stop the ship's inevitable destruction, he tried to get some of his passengers out of the body of the ship that would quickly become a cage of terror and death. A few of those nearest the exit managed to escape, only to become paralyzed with shock as the waters sucked them under violently. The rest were not even able to fight for their lives, and they met eternity all too quickly. Within a few minutes-but what seemed like a lifetime-the boat, the captain and passengers were lost in the ocean. All that lingered was the smell of death.
I was startled into consciousness by a piercing crack that sent shivers down my spine. I opened my eyes to find total darkness, My light had gone out! What had I done? I jumped to my feet as the sounds of screams and cries rang in my ears. I tried to relight the light that I had so carelessly allowed to blow out. But my efforts were futile; I was too late. I could only watch them vanish from view of the light that should have been there to save them. The pain I caused myself and the families of those who had died in that short time would burn deep for years to come. The time that I slept may have been short, but the consequences would last much longer. If only I hadn't slept. If only I had kept my light burning. If only....
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