Become the Lighthouse: Shining Through the Darkness After Charlie Kirk’s Death
I’m writing this because I can’t get the thoughts out of my head.
I need to put my thoughts into words on a screen, as it always helps me process what the hell is going on in my headspace.
And, maybe, by doing that, I can help someone else process today’s events too.
Charlie Kirk is dead.
That still feels unreal to write, as I was watching him yesterday and thinking to myself, I don’t always agree with this dude, but damn does he speak well.
He was a husband, a man of faith, and someone who chose to sit on a stool, look people in the eye, and debate ideas.
He didn’t throw punches; he threw questions.
He didn’t strike people down; he challenged them to think.
And now, he’s gone because someone murdered him.
I’ll be honest, I’m pissed about this.
Because what kind of world do we live in when a man like that, a man who believed words were enough, is gunned down?
What kind of twisted culture celebrates violence against someone whose weapon was conversation and truth?
Charlie wasn’t violent or hateful; he was a light in the discussions, and now, darkness has claimed another one.
That should shake every single one of us awake.
Because if the lighthouses are being targeted, if the men who dare to shine are being taken out, then we can’t just sit back and watch.
We can’t scroll past, whisper a prayer, and then go back to sleep, not anymore.
Here’s the reality: Darkness doesn’t win unless we let it.
Hatred doesn’t spread unless good people stay silent. And silence is exactly what keeps this rot growing.
So we can’t wait for another Charlie Kirk to rise; it’s our turn to speak against evil.
We can’t sit around hoping “somebody else” will do the work. It’s on us; everyone has to stop waiting, stop hiding, stop apologizing, and start shining.
We need to become the lighthouses.
That means standing tall, no matter how hard the storm rages.
That means refusing to compromise your values, faith, and integrity, even when unpopular or dangerous.
That means being the light your kids, neighbors, and community need to see when everything around them feels like chaos.
And this is where it hits me hardest: My family is watching me.
My wife and children watch how I live; I know they watch to see whether I choose courage or comfort. I’ve even noticed my son already putting himself out there in discussions, challenging ideas, and the status quo…
I know what comes with that mindset and what it’s like to be the one who stands, while everyone bends their knees, but I know that my family should live with truth, over lying to fit in or be accepted.
I’ll be damned if I let them grow up in a world where men stay silent while darkness swallows everything.
My son must see his father as a lighthouse, not a shadow.
My daughter must know that her dad stood up, not shrank back.
My wife deserves to know that when the storm came, I didn’t bow my head in fear; I lit a fire so others could see the way forward…
That’s Where My Mind Is At
They can kill the man, but they can’t kill the mission.
They can silence his voice, but can’t silence the truth unless we choose to shut up.
And that’s the choice before us; do we shine brighter or let the darkness take over?
I’m angry.
I’m disappointed.
But I’m also clear-eyed about what this moment demands.
Light stands out further than darkness ever could.
A single match is like the sun in a dark room at night.
One lighthouse can save an entire coastline of ships from wreckage, and when one goes down, others must rise to replace it.
I tell myself to “Shine Brighter” when I’m in a fucked up headspace; I said to myself when I was driving home and found out Charlie had died. I knew people would be sad, scared, and angry - I knew I needed to shine and help them find their own light.
Charlie’s life demands that from us now.
Not silent or moving on, but standing taller, speaking louder, and shining brighter until the darkness has nowhere to hide.
So this is me processing, but it’s also me issuing a challenge.
To you.
To myself.
To anyone reading this…
It’s time to be the lighthouse.
Shine for your family. Shine for your faith. Shine for the broken, the hopeless, the ones who think there’s no way out of the storm. Shine so bright that no amount of hatred can drown it out.
Rest in peace, Charlie.
Your stool may be empty, your time in the fight may be over, but your light will shine on, through us.
- Zac Small