The Lighthouse Test

Jan H. Stringer and Alan Hickman

“To fall in love is easy, even to remain in it is not difficult; our human loneliness is cause enough. But it is a hard quest worth making to find a comrade through whose steady presence one becomes steadily the person one desires to be”. — Anna Louise Strong

THE MOST PERFECT RELATIONSHIP is the one that supports you in fulfilling your destiny — the one that empowers you to be everything you are meant to be in this world and beyond. The one that enlivens that inherent possibility of your truest gift beeing expressed in the world.

THE LIGHTHOUSE TEST

Imagine a lighthouse standing strong and erect on the rocky shores of a beautiful ocean. On this particular day, the water is calm, the sky is blue, and there are many boats out to sea. Yet, out in the distance, there is a storm cloud forming on the horizon. It is coming closer to shore very quickly.

The sky is getting darker, the waves are getting rougher, and many of the boats are being tossed about on the water. As the rains and the winds pick up strength, so does the power of the beam of light emanating from the lighthouse. Some of the boats, anxious to move quickly to a quiet and protective harbor, are relying on this beam of light to guide them safely to the spot.

The darker the skies become, the brighter the light shines. Notice that not all of the boats are in need of this beam of light to guide them to safety. Some have more confident captains and crew, while other boats have equipment that can handle the storm effectively. Now, imagine that the lighthouse gets upset because some of the boats are choosing not to come to its harbor. Because it wants to protect and serve all of the boats in the sea, it sprouts arms and legs and begins running up and down the beach, waving its arms, doing its best to catch the attention of all the boats. What would be the result?

Most likely, the boats that were depending on the light to guide them would by now have been destroyed in the chaos and confusion caused by the light moving up and down the beach Other boats, led by their curiosity, may come closer to shore to get a better look at the spectacle of a lighthouse running up and down the shore, and then head back out to deeper waters. While others would be perfectly content to stay where they are. The end result, very few boats are served safely and securely.

The test lies in asking yourself what percentage of time do you feel like the lighthouse standing securely on the shore attracting the boats (prospective partners), and how often do you feel as if you are running up and down the beach looking for boats?

Perfect Partners Come to You!

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