Harbor Lights

A few years back I became absorbed in old-fashioned fishing, spinning rod and worms, from the bank. I live very near a beautiful large lake, but nearly all the shoreline is absorbed in housing developments. Those who take fishing seriously have boats and go out to where the big ones hang out. One day, solely by accident I discovered that one entry point for boats had a long channel from a lagoon to the big lake, and that channel had recently been dredged and deepened. I found myself catching all sorts of fish from shore, bluegills, bass, drum, white bass, perch, and catfish. Exactly what I wanted and I spent many weekend mornings there.

I sometimes came to the channel in the still darkness of early morning, barely able to make out the path in front of me. The way was made easier by a pair of lights at the head of the channel, one on each side of the entrance, one red, one green. They were there to guide boats returning late at night or in the early dawn, and in the dark were indispensable. Without them most boats would would almost certainly end up against or on the rocks.

The lights also guided me, allowing me keep on the path by orienting myself to the lights, and to keep out of the muck and mire on either side. And I found them comforting, a solid, quiet, constant signal, quiet, undemanding but to be ignored at one's peril.

I remembered the harbor lights today as I was reading Lao Tsu's Tao te Ching ("The Book of the Way"), specifically the start of Chapter 53 for example:

If I have just a little sense,
I will walk on the main road and my only fear will be of straying from it.
Keeping to the main road is easy,
But people love to be distracted.

There is some specificity in the closing paragraphs of the preceding chapter (52):

Keep your mouth shut,
Guard the senses,
And life is ever full.
Open your mouth,
Always be busy,
And life is beyond hope.

Seeing the small is insight;
Yielding to force is strength,
Using the outer light, return to insight,
And in this way be saved from harm.
This is learning constancy.

Simple, steady harbor lights, to be ignored at one's peril.