The Thinker Bookends

On page 26 of the March/April 2020 edition you published a photo of Fort Gratiot Lighthouse keeper John Ernest Smith and his wife Bertha sitting so quiet like. But what I really noticed behind and between them was the book ends holding up the volumes of books. I love those book ends. “The Thinker” is the name of them. Where on this earth could they possible be today? A nice guess might be to ask your readers to guess where they might be today.

I read my Lighthouse Digest magazine from cover to cover as soon as I receive it. It’s like a “Letter from Home.” How interesting these people lived in the days of yore.

Lucille Hodges-Bromberek

Former Coastie Loves Lighthouse Digest

I have been a subscriber to Lighthouse Digest since it started. I enjoy every issue. I fell in love with lighthouses while being stationed with the U.S. Coast Guard at South Portland, Maine. On search and rescue duty we ran logistics to Halfway Rock Lighthouse, Portland Lightship, Spring Point Ledge, Wood Island, Ram Island and Squirrel Point on the Kennebec River. I am retired from the Coast Guard. Keep up the great work.

Gary S. Petit

From a Story Last Year - March-April 2019

I just wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed the article “Guardians of the Timeless” in the March-April 2019 issue of Lighthouse Digest. It was very well-written, eloquent, and touching. I could really relate to the article, as I lost my wife far too soon in 2007, when she was only 37 years old. We loved the ocean and visiting lighthouses together. I proposed atop the Cape May lighthouse in 1999. After her death, I spent lots of time revisiting many of the places we had gone together, hoping to find some essence of her or some sign that she was OK, where ever she was. It was a long journey, but I think it helped in my healing. There were times when I think I was able to connect with her spirit, although those types of things are never as obvious as we would like them to be. One needs to look hard and be very open-minded. I hope that Jacquelyn was able to sense Bob in her return visits to Big Sable, and that she finds peace.

Greg P.

P.S. I picked up my first copy of Lighthouse Digest at the Hereford Inlet Lighthouse in North Wildwood, NJ during the trip where I proposed. I have been a subscriber ever since, and 20 years ago, I was probably one of your youngest subscribers. I enjoy reading your magazine. It provides me a connection to the coast when I can’t be there. Keep up the good work.

This story appeared in the May/Jun 2020 edition of Lighthouse Digest Magazine. The print edition contains more stories than our internet edition, and each story generally contains more photographs - often many more - in the print edition. For subscription information about the print edition, click here.

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