Lighthouse week: Photo #1

Portland Head Lighthouse, Portland, Maine

When I started Points of Light last May, I did so with the intent of showcasing my collection of lighthouse photographs, along with the meaning I find in them. I also intended to post one lighthouse photograph every day. What was I thinking? I quickly decided that the scope of this blog had to include travel and discovery in general, so as not to exhaust my lighthouse collection before I had a chance to go out and get some more.

So, in a brief return to my original premise, I present the first in a series of lighthouse photos that will be posted this week.

On a trip to Maine in August of 2001, I photographed the Portland Head Lighthouse outside of the city of Portland. It was a wonderful trip with my family. Maine is a beautiful part of the country, and I personally decreased the lobster population by two. It was peaceful, quiet and serene, and this photo summed it up pretty well. But there was something lurking beneath the surface. About the same time we were in Portland, a group of men were staying in the city, having come from Canada. Members of that group would soon make thier way to Boston and Newark and Washington D.C. A month later the quiet and serenity of the U.S. was shattered by the events of September 11, 2001.

Click on picture to enlarge. Photograph © 2006 James Jordan.