LIGHTSHIP HEAVEN
By Seamond
A lightship man has died. I was thinking about a man who
has put all his life and soul into these little boats - what it would be like in
his heaven?
. . . "When I put out to sea." These words
will be said over yet another seafaring man. And I sit here and think about this.
I wonder what a lightship man's heaven is like. Instead of clouds all around, of
course, there has to be ocean and a bright red ship for him to see or be on.
There must be things to paint and things to fix and time to fish and wait and
see what will be on the end of the line. I would think there is a place to read
and write and contemplate - as there had been on earth. Do you suppose he will
tell sea tales with the other lightship men already there - stories of great
waves, of near (and real) disasters, of men of his acquaintance over the years,
stories of waiting on the tender or the Relief, or especially that
of leave of going home. I bet he will. And I am sure his other shipmates will be
there to greet him home - "Hey, there's Bill. Where you been, Bill?
Come on over here and let's have a gab. Lookee here - the cook and the captain
are here, too!" I bet his heaven will contain that little special
spot like where he did his hobbies, too, like carving decoys, knitting lobster
pot funnels, making twine mats or sailor's valentines - stuff like that. Sure
enough, there should be an accordion or fiddle too - music at sea is a wonderful
sound all its own.
Oh, yes! A lightship man in heaven should have all his comforts of the
lightship and all the wonderful memories that are so unique to only him and his
shipmates. He should be rewarded with an eternal sea breeze that is fresh, but
not threatening, as the storms he has gone through, both on the lightship and in
life, are now over. His lightship heaven will be a haven
now and a safe one for him eternally.
Yes, I am sure that the Lord Almighty finds a special place for a lightshipman
as He who made the oceans knows that this brand of men were very special ones
and that they deserve a special place when they cross that bar.
And now, lightship heaven has gathered another man to his heavenly home. May
his family and friends be comforted to know that this lightship man is in the
safest haven of all and with our Maker, the one who calms the seas when we cross
the bar.
With loving remembrance of all lightship men -
Seamond Ponsart Roberts
