Flashing lighthouse?

I went for a bike ride just before sunset today (it was much warmer than it has been recently; I think spring is trying to arrive). It was a calm, quiet time and the fading orange sunlight reflected on Silver Lake was lovely. I stopped just before 6:00 and sat looking across the harbor at the lighthouse, which was already on for the evening.

The church bells chimed the hour, and then started playing a hymn (they play 2 or 3 tunes each day after chiming 6 o'clock). As I sat listening, trying to identify the tune, and looking at the lighthouse, the light turned off. (The music stopped, too, although I didn't realize that immediately). In the first few seconds, before I figured out what was happening, my jaw literally dropped open in surprise. Then, before I could close my mouth, the lighthouse came back on again. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed that the lights on the Harbor Inn also came on at the same time and realized that there had been a brief power outage. So rest assured, the Ocracoke lighthouse is still non-flashing!

This reminded me of the time John and I attended an NPS program about the lighthouse. The ranger was explaining the different flash patterns of the other Outer Banks lighthouses. Then, she informed the group that the reason the Ocracoke light does not flash is because it is a harbor light, to guide vessels into Silver Lake, as opposed to a warning light, letting ships know to stay away from the dangerous shoals. She said something which moved me so much that I cried, and ended up memorizing it: "Ocracoke is a light of welcome. It says 'here is Ocracoke, here is safe harbor, here is home'". Perfectly describes how I feel here: safe, and at home.