Foreword:
Standingtallandproudontherockycoastline,thelighthousewasasymbolofhopeandguidanceforsailorslostatsea.Forgenerations,ithadfaithfullyserveditspurpose,shiningitsbeacontoguideshipssafelythroughtreacherouswaters.Butthelighthousehadalsoseenitsfairshareofchallenges-stormsthatthreatenedtotoppleit,vandalswhodefaceditswalls,andbudgetcutsthatleftitindisrepair.Despiteallthesesetbacks,thelighthousecontinuedtoshine,atestamenttotheresilienceandperseveranceofitskeepers.
1.Thelighthousekeeper,Mr.Johnson,wasamanoffewwordsbutabigheart.Hehadinheritedthejobfromhisfatherandhadbeentendingtothelightforoverthirtyyears.Inthattime,hehadwitnessedmanychanges,bothintheworldaroundhimandwithinhimself.
2.Asayoungman,Mr.Johnsonhadbeenfullofenergyandenthusiasm,eagertotakeonanychallengethatcamehisway.Butashegrewolder,hebegantofeeltheweightofhisresponsibilitiesmoreheavily.
3.Hiswifehadpassedawaymanyyearsago,leavinghimtoraisetheirdaughteronhisown.Ithadbeenadifficulttask,buthehaddonehisbesttoprovideforherandgiveheragoodlife.
4.Hisdaughterhadgrownupandmovedaway,leavinghimaloneinthelighthouseoncemore.ButMr.Johnsonwasnotonetofeelsorryforhimself-heknewthathisdutywastokeepthebeaconshiningforthosewhoneededit.
5.Onestormynight,asMr.Johnsonwastendingtothelight,heheardaloudcrashoutside.Rushingouttoinvestigate,hesawthatalargetreehadfallenacrossthepathtothelighthouse,blockingitcompletely.
6.Mr.Johnsonknewthatheneededtoactfast-ifthelightwentout,itcouldmeandisasterforanyshipsinthearea.Buthewasaloneandtherewasnoonearoundtohelphim.
7.Summoningallhisstrength,hesettoworkwithanaxe,choppingawayatthetreeuntilhehadclearedapath.Itwasback-breakingwork,butMr.Johnsonwasdeterminedtodowhateverittooktokeepthebeaconshining.
8.Finally,afterhoursofhardlabor,hemanagedtoclearthepathandreturntothelighthouse.Exhaustedbutrelieved,hecollapsedintobed,knowingthathehaddonehisdutyandkeptthelightburningthroughthestorm.
9.Overtheyears,Mr.Johnsonhadfacedmanychallengeslikethisone-stormsthatthreatenedtoextinguishthelight,vandalswhodefacedthewalls,andbudgetcutsthatlefthimstrugglingtomakeendsmeet.
10.Butthroughitall,hehadneverlostfaithintheimportanceofhisjob.Heknewthatthebeaconhetendedwasmorethanjustalighthouse-itwasasymbolofhopeandguidanceforallthoselostatsea.
11.Andso,evenwhentimesweretoughandhefeltlikegivingup,hecontinuedtotendtothelight,dayafterday,yearafteryear.
12.Oneday,asMr.Johnsonwastendingtothelight,ayoungwomanappearedatthedoor.SheintroducedherselfasSarahandsaidthatshehadcometohelphimwithhisduties.
13.Atfirst,Mr.Johnsonwashesitant-hehadbeendoingthisjobaloneforsolongthathewasn'tsurehowhewouldhandlehavingsomeoneelsearound.
14.ButSarahwaseagertolearnandwillingtoworkhard,andsoonMr.Johnsonfoundhimselfenjoyinghercompanyandappreciatingherhelp.
15.Astheyearspassed,SarahbecamelikeadaughtertoMr.Johnson,andhefeltgratefulforthecompanionshipsheprovided.Together,theytendedtothelight,makingsurethatitshonebrightandstrongforallthosewhoneededit.
16.ButevenwithSarahbyhisside,Mr.Johnsonknewthathistimeaslighthousekeeperwascomingtoanend.Hewasgrowingolderandhishealthwasfailing,andheknewthathewouldneedtofindareplacementsoon.
17.Itwasadifficultdecision,butMr.JohnsonfinallydecidedtoretireandpassthetorchtoSarah.Shewasreadyandeagertotakeonthejob,andMr.Johnsonknewthatshewouldbeagreatkeeperofthelight.
18.Andso,onaclearsummerday,Mr.Johnsonclimbedtothetopofthelighthouseonelasttime.Hetookonefinallookattheviewhehadcometolovesomuch-theendlesssea,therockycoastline,andtheshiningbeaconhehadtendedforsomanyyears.
19.ThenhehandedthekeysovertoSarahandsteppedaside,watchingasshetookhisplaceandbeganherownjourneyaslighthousekeeper.
20.Ashewalkedawayfromthelighthouse,Mr.Johnsonfeltasenseofpeacewashoverhim.Heknewthathehaddonehisdutyandkeptthebeaconshining,eveninthetoughestoftimes.
21.Andashelookedbackatthelighthouseonelasttime,heknewthatitslightwouldcontinuetoshine,asymbolofhopeandperseveranceforgenerationstocome.
22.Forthelighthousewasmorethanjustabuilding-itwasabeaconofhopeinaworldthatcouldoftenbedarkandtreacherous.Anditwouldcontinuetoshine,guidingsailorssafelythroughthestormyseas,foraslongastherewerethosewhoneededit.
