Sitting quietly is not an activity that comes easy for me.  I tend to “flit” about, always in a state of motion, missing the joy that can only come to those who “wait” for it. It was no different when my husband and I visited the Little Sable Point Lighthouse in Mears, Michigan.  We arrived mid-afternoon, climbed the 130 steps to the top, enjoyed the view, and then…well, then what?

Little Sable Lighthouse – Michigan

Now don’t get me wrong – it is beautiful!  The entire scene is something that I consider to be one of the most romantic lighthouses I have visited – ever.  What’s not to like about it? The lighthouse is the original brick color, the surrounding wild and natural forest dots the Silver Lake Sand Dunes, – and the proximity to the lakeshore – just magnificent visual overload.  Wonderful.

The  Lake Michigan shoreline is home to many lighthouses, but this is one of my favorites. The Little Sable Point has a paved sidewalk from the parking lot to the base of the lighthouse.  This makes it easily accessible for persons with physical limitations.  Because of the proximity of the lighthouse to the shoreline, this will enable a panoramic view of the forestry, the sand dunes, and the beauty of the lake.  For those desiring to climb to the top, there is a small fee ($5.00) to do so.

The View From the Top

Once inside the lighthouse, you will feel that you’ve stepped back in time – back to 1874 when the tower was built.

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Along the climb to the top, you will be able to learn the history of Little Sable Light. There are historical documents and artifacts to give you a bit of the flavor of this particular light.

Each step that leads me upward heightens my sense of adventure.  I begin to envision what it would be like to be the lightkeeper.  It also leads to a bit of claustrophobia, shortness of breath, and a resolution to get more exercise before I attempt another climb.

The Fresnel Lens

Once at the top, after you almost crawl out of the staircase, the view is its own reward.  The lens is an unusual 3rd order Fresnel lens that can be seen up to 19 miles into Lake Michigan.

The Beautiful Sand Dunes and Forest of Little Sable Point

The blue skies, the white powdery sand dunes, and the raw, untouched beauty simply leave me breathless.  I sense the need to do something lest I miss some part of the beauty that has unfurled itself before my non-blinking eyes.

I walk along the beach listening to the water as it gently pats the shoreline.  I pick up a few interesting stones, mesmerized by their colorations and smooth contours. With the beauty of Lake Michigan before me, I think grand and lofty thoughts.  I ponder the differences between the lakeshore and the shoreline in Florida.  And then…there it is again, the restlessness to be doing something. 

After a while, we climb a steep embankment of sand dunes, set up our chairs, and wait for the approaching sunset.  As the sun begins to surrender its intensity and the evening canvas changes color,  I become fully immersed in the beauty.

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As moment by moment the sky changes from soft blue to the shades of evening, the view becomes spectacular.  I no longer feel the need to do anything.  I have chosen to be in this place at this time doing nothing but being still.

The Bird Sits Quietly

I study the sharp textural contrasts of the grasses, the tree bark, the clouds, and the sand.  The bird that perches contentedly on the branch at the top of the barren tree reminds me of a passage from Matthew.  It seems a lifetime ago that Mrs. Redmond, my G.A. leader at church, had required me to memorize Matthew 6: 19-33.  At the time it had seemed an impossible task – but I did it, and now, nearly five decades later, those verses are on my mind.  The bird on the branch – not worried about where he will get his next meal, or where he will lodge for the evening.  “Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather in the barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much better than they?” (Matthew 6:26)

Just Be Still

As the sky continues saying its farewell to the day, my need to be in motion vanishes. Again, my memory is called to verses I learned many years before. “Be still and know that I am God…I will be exalted in the earth” (Psalm 46:10).

The World Turns Golden

I can’t help it.  I know it sounds cliché’ but when the entire horizon envelopes me in a golden dome, I start singing old gospel hymns about sunrises and sunsets. “Some Golden Daybreak, Jesus Will Come,” and “Beyond the Sunset, oh glad reunion.” I sit quietly. The scenery has become an ornate cathedral – a place of worship in the shadow of this Little Sable Lighthouse. I have taken the time to just simply be still.  Sometimes that is all God wants.

David wrote in Psalm 27 about the one thing he desired of the Lord, “that I will seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, and to behold the beauty of the Lord...” (vs 4). Today as I have fully enjoyed Little Sable Point Lighthouse, and been immersed in the beauty of the lakeshore and the sand dunes, I have taken the time to just be still. How about you?  Where have you visited that brought you to a place of quietness and worship? Do you have a favorite lighthouse?  Share it with us – I’m always looking for yet another place of beauty to visit.

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

The lighthouse is operated by volunteers. It’s a good idea to call before you go 231-845-7417. You’ll pay at the door.  If you plan to climb, there is a minimum height requirement of 36 inches.

Have you been to Little Sable Point Lighthouse? Did you climb to the top? What is your favorite lighthouse memory? I’d love to hear!

Visit Little Sable Point Lighthouse

287 N Lighthouse Dr
Mears, MI 49436
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