Inspiration comes to us in many ways. I was listening to the radio and "You're My Inspiration" by Chicago came on. I thought, "Gee, that could be a good symposium topic."
Who or what inspires me? I struggled to find the answer to that. The song implies that all of the song writer's greatness was due to the love of one person. I have no one like that in my life, for there is no creative greatness in my life. Creativity, yes but no greatness.
But perhaps, I was looking at it too grandly. Recent events showed me a different way.
I went lighthouse visiting this week. As some may recall, while I enjoy visiting them, I'm too afraid to climb them. I have been to over 50 lighthouses in Michigan, Indiana and Ohio. I have climbed 3. Always with someone to hold my emotional hand. When I'm alone, I rarely make it to the first landing.
40 Mile Point lighthouse, on the shores of Lake Huron, was my first stop of the day. The museum was open, the tower was open, and the volunteer knew exactly how many steps to the top. 53... and only the final 13 being much scarier than the rest. Oddly, instead of a handrail on the wall side of the spiral, the rail was on the other side. I decided to try. Left hand on the wall, right hand on the rail, and counting the steps (yes - I counted aloud) I made it - slowly and nervously - 40 steps to the second landing. One look at the final 13 stairs and I knew I couldn't go on. But at least I tried. I sent pictures to my offspring and headed to my next stop.
Old Presque Isle light was built in 1840 and made mostly of stone and timber. But after my attempt earlier, I had no intention of trying a climb. My child had sent an encouraging text hoping that I might make it to the top of one at least, that day. In her dreams. But I did ask the museum docent about the stairs. 33 stone steps and then a ladder to the lamp room. Stone? Can't see through stone and can't fall through stone. It was worth a look. I climbed those lovely (safe) stairs to the landing. The wooden landing. The one that had gaps in between the boards. I could see through those spaces ... and could visualize the boards breaking beneath me. The ladder, however, looked possible.
Inspiration: the drawing in of breath.
I inspired deeply. Inched my way to the ladder and ...
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25 comments
For those who are curious about those final steps ...
Which would you rather climb?
i would climb both i was a fire fighter for 28 yrs done more worse then them
@YourSassyPussy I'm the opposite. Down is easy. I can sit and go down, butt cheek by butt cheek ... If I needed to. It's the looking through the steps that panics me.
@studbird2000 Knowing that firefighters climb things I'm too scared to do is one of the reasons I bake them cookies every month.
Congratulations. Like you, I find climbing down sometimes more difficult than climbing up.
Not like me. Down, for me, is easy. Climbing up stairs that have no risers is what scares me. I learned to go up with my eyes closed or staring at the wall...which is why I needed to know the number of steps
Yes, that was going to be my exact comment! I'd be fine going up, but coming down would be a different matter.
@smartasswoman Going upstairs I like someone behind me and going downstairs in front of me to cushion any fall!
@spunkycumfun HWD especially likes going up the stairs behind me and groping my buns. I will now view this as a safety feature!
@smartasswoman He's clearly got your safety in mind!
Haunted?
Not that I know of.
I just got back from lake superior. Stopped at several along the lake and a couple on lake Michigan.
I've visited most of the lights on the lower peninsula. There are a few island lights I may never get to. The southern shore of Lk Superior is the last major stretch I need to do.
@superbjversion2 How about the ones on the coasts?
@Notaname99 Do you mean the ocean coasts? Once I get to as many Michigan lights as I can, then I'll work on other Great Lakes sites ... the ones I can visit in an overnight trip.
Would I like to visit lights on the ocean coasts? Certainly, but they would involve greater expenditures. I'm a frugal soul.
@superbjversion2 I travel all over so I have been to few lights on each coast and the great lakes.
Great photo!
I've been to a lighthouse on Lake Huron and one at a park in Tawas.
I took a road trip and visited lighthouses, starting at the bridge and ending up in Tawas. I only climbed the first two. The others are too tall for me
@superbjversion2
LOVELY
Thank you!
Congratulations! Overcoming a fear is not always easy and we too often do not credit whatever helps us overcome such to inspiration. In fact Society tends to instill in us the idea that inspiration is only associated with Grand Ideas and deeds. Most of inspiration involves smaller more everyday actions and thoughts.
The view up there is fantastic and the lake behind you looks pretty nice too.
I'm guilty of my brain pairing inspiration with grand happenings. That's why I used the respiration meaning for the word.
@superbjversion2 I think we all tend to think of inspiration as relating only to the grand happenings. I often need to remind myself that it is more, or just as much, about the small and everyday.
Sending you big naked hugs and I hope you are dealing well with the lousy air quality.
Beautiful 🥰
It is a beautiful part of the world
Glad I could help you get to the top when I did!! But I'm like you...not my favorite...
Michigan City was an "easy" lighthouse - most of the stairs were normal. Having a friend with me helped a whole lot though!
Congratulations!!! Heights can get me. I like safety
You look marvelous!!
Hugs!!!
Thanks! It was a really good field trip!
very lovely picture sweetie
Thank you. I'm glowing with satisfaction!
@superbjversion2 your welcum sweetie hugs and kisses xoxoxoxo
That sounds fun! There is a lighthouse nearby, but I don't think they allow people inside. Why are lighthouses so cool and intriguing? Is it because they harken back to a previous time, or how specialized they are? Or how sometimes built far away from the populace?
All I know is lighthouses are cool in a mysterious way.
This photo I took at our nearby Lighthouse, (Pigeon Point) I was inspired by the movie, 'The Lighhouse' to capture it this way. (black and white film and vintage 1970's lens)
I think the fascination with lighthouses has to do with both their importance before automation and the solitude of the life. Or maybe it's just their phallic shape.
Great picture! I looked up your light. It's closed until renovations are complete ... estimated sometime in 2026. There's a picture of the stairs ... handrails on both sides ... I could maybe do that!
Great job lady! Congrats. Seems she surely inspired you to press on.
I've visited far fewer lighthouses than you, but have climbed all of them (that allow it). Most notable one was at Cape Hatteras, NC. Just after I started up, they closed it to later visitors, due to the internal temperatures being too high.
I've also CLIMBED all of the Statue of Liberty and the Eiffel Tower (didn't use the available elevators). In the case of the Statue of Liberty I was a kid and my cousin and I did it just because we could. At the Eiffel Tower I had just turned 50 and didn't want to wait for the long line for the elevator.
I envy you your lack of fear. I was climbing my first lighthouse when I had an unexpected panic attack over the see-through-ness of the staircase. I've been working at battling that ever since.
@superbjversion2 Believe it or not, I have a fear of heights. Doing that climbing, and being a pilot, no problem. But ask me to look straight down from the top - NO damn way!!
That's super cool, BJ.
The first time is the hardest. But I'm never going to attempt the ones with 100+ stairs!
Hey at least you tried and that in itself is inspirational
Thanks for saying that. It's not easy to think of trying something when scared as inspirational.
@superbjversion2 courage is inspirational
Worth that climb. 🤗ðŸ‘
The climbing part is fairly easy for my legs ... it's the seeing where I can fall that hinders me. The stone steps were ideal.
Good for you, congratulations on your achievement.
Thank you. You have no idea how difficult climbing stairs with no risers is for me.