Welcome to The Daily Quote – a podcast designed to kickstart your day in a positive way. I'm your host, Andrew McGivern, for August 7th.

Today is National Lighthouse Day, and honestly, if there's a more romantic and inspiring piece of architecture than a lighthouse, I haven't found it yet. Standing tall against the elements, cutting through fog and darkness, guiding ships safely home – lighthouses are basically the ultimate symbol of hope and guidance.

National Lighthouse Day commemorates August 7, 1789, when the U.S. Congress passed an act establishing federal support for lighthouses, beacons, buoys, and public piers. It was the first step in creating a systematic approach to maritime safety, and it authorized the construction of the first federal lighthouse.

For hundreds of years, these towering sentinels have been the difference between life and death for countless sailors. They've weathered storms, stood against time, and never wavered in their purpose – to be a beacon of safety in the darkness.

And here's something beautiful about lighthouses – they don't discriminate. Rich or poor, friend or enemy, every ship receives the same guidance, the same warning, the same safe harbor.

Which brings us to today's quote from Maya Angelou, who once said:"A wise person decides slowly but abides by these decisions."
Now you might be thinking, "What does decision-making have to do with lighthouses?" Well, everything, actually.Think about it – a lighthouse makes one fundamental decision: to shine. Every night, without fail, regardless of weather conditions or how many ships might be out there, it makes that same choice. Rain or shine, storm or calm, busy shipping lanes or empty seas – the light goes on.

That's the kind of steady, unwavering commitment Angelou was talking about. Once lighthouse keepers decided to take on that responsibility, they didn't waver. They didn't call in sick during storms or take nights off when the weather was rough. They understood that lives depended on their consistency.

And there's something we can learn from that lighthouse mentality. In our lives, we make decisions about who we want to be – the kind of friend we want to be, the kind of parent, the kind of professional. The lighthouse reminds us that these aren't one-time decisions – they're daily choices to keep shining, to keep being reliable, to keep being that steady presence others can count on.Just last summer visited a lighthouse with some friends. It was cool to go there even though light houses aren't really needed anymore thanks to radar, GPS and other technology. But they remain as symbols of safety and protection.

So today, think about how you can be someone's lighthouse. Maybe it's being the reliable friend who always picks up the phone. Maybe it's being the coworker who stays positive during tough projects. Maybe it's just being consistent in small acts of kindness.

The lighthouse doesn't shine for applause or recognition – it shines because that's what it was built to do. And sometimes, that steady, dependable light is exactly what someone needs to find their way home.

That's going to do it for today. May you be a beacon of reliability in someone's storm, and may you always find safe harbor when you need it.I'm Andrew McGivern, signing off for now, but I'll be back tomorrow – same pod time, same pod station – with another Daily Quote.