The Ring of Guidance

Crail, Fife — 1914 — Midday. Eilidh Fraser walked along the tide-swept shore, the sharp scent of salt and seaweed filling the air. The silver ring pressed lightly against her finger, engraved with the mark of St Andrew — the apostle known for calling others to follow, for leading by quiet presence. Her mother had given it to her with a single instruction: to guide without forcing, to show the way by example rather than voice. She watched fishermen adjusting nets, children chasing pools left by the tide, and felt the ring anchor her hand, her stance, her attention. Guidance, she realized, was not in commanding direction but in noticing the subtle shifts, the small choices, and being there when others faltered. The sun caught the silver and it glinted faintly, not for display, but as a silent measure of responsibility — a reminder that leading, like St Andrew, begins with steadfast presence.