We have had a bit of rain here in Caboolture, and the Lighthouse is standing firm amidst the chaos of rising waters around it. The roses are still standing proud, but the ground cover disappeared last night. I fell into a rather troubled sleep and dreamed of Jonathan Livingstone Seagull – and can’t quite see why.

I named the house ‘The Lighthouse’ when I fist saw it, and loved the whitish brick that sparkled in the sunlight. However, we have had very little sun since I moved in, more of a visitation from the rain gods. It is of course, very good for the dams, but a little off-putting for this damsel.!!!

Now, a little less of this hilarity (I am always unnerved by excesses of water – and me a water sign!) I brought up the subject, because yesterday after a nerve wracking drive back from the city we turned into the drive way, and although it was obvious even then that a flood was coming, it was with a sense of relief I saw the white bricks gleaming in the rain waiting to receive us.

I have always had a fondness for Lighthouses which goes back to my early teenage years. I was holidaying on the south coast of England, and there was this boy (well there would be of course I was 16). He offered to take me sailing, and as I had never in my life been in a small sailing boat before I jumped at the chance. The weather in the Channel is somewhat unpredictable, and after about 30 minutes or so I glanced over my shoulder to find someone had removed the land. I was now in a very small boat, in the dangerous waters of the English Channel, and out of sight of land. I was not very happy.

I will not dwell on the memories of the next few hours, except to say I was terrified and seasick, but at last, out of the fast falling gloom, a tall elegant finger of silver rose out of the black water. “Ah” said my hero “Now I know where we are” and right on cue a small motor launch chugged into view and greeted us. We were towed into the nearest village and all was safe.

The sight of that Lighthouse was a beacon of hope when I had begun to despair of s

urviving. It is one of those symbols of experience that have followed me through my life. Whenever I feel a sense of despair that things can never work out; that it’s all too hard; that it is bound to fail – especially at three o’clock in the morning! I bring the sight of that soaring silver shaft of light to mind and realise that sometimes what we have to do is just hang on, and wait for better times.

So when I turned into my drive way last night, after a difficult day I took a deep breath and let that memory soothe the worries and fears. I was home in my very own light house.

And of course I was right to do so, things usually work out; but if they don’t we cope and carry on. We sometimes change plans, and adapt our goals. But we cannot stand still in life and every journey has it hills as well as its dales. So as the flood waters arise around my Lighthouse I took the time to consider the sunlight in my professional life.

Things really are quite sunny, if we focus on what we have achieved instead of the frustrations impeding what we want to achieve. Our first book is at the printers and should be in our hands soon. My second book is finished and with the editor, and plans are in place for the third we have committed to. There is something very satisfying about being able to pick up a book, and smell that fresh new tantalising smell that promises so much – and see your name on the cover. Both Trish and I are waiting with eager anticipation to do just that.

And we are in the process of negotiating an interesting training opportunity in Melbourne, as well as investigating the possibilities of Canberra.

And if that were not enough, I have been convinced to sign up to Twitter; although the mental picture of me ‘tweeting’ is not one recommended for serious people. But if you are so inclined why not follow me, Ellacar, on twitter!

So the sight of my Light House, still standing amidst the rising waters, reminded me that it is never always doom and gloom, regardless of the present economic climate – and that in the gloom we need to keep looking for the first glimpse of the Lighthouse arising out of the darkness to guide us to calmer waters.

I do worry about the roses though.

Michele @ Trischel

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