This day was the wedding anniversary for my daughter Tami, and her husband Rollin, later that evening they had gone out to celebrate Puerto Vallarta's night life.  Isabella, my baby grand daughter and 12 year old grandson, Baron stayed behind with me at the casa.

The day had been hot and sultry, so after putting Isabella to bed, Baron and I decided to take the cushions of the studio couches in the living room, and place them on the plaster benches on the veranda.  It was a beautiful night, with a gorgeous panoramic view of Bandaras Bay, and a sky full of stars.

Baron began to again mirror the image of the sculpture above.  The name for this individual sculpture is "Bewitching Stars," which I did not know until I returned home to the states.  But this sculpture is actually part of a larger group of similar figures climbing a ladder a few feet away.  The plaque at the feet of this grouping gives the title, "In Search of Reason."  There is a quote from Bertrand Russell (philosopher), meaningful to the sculptor (Bustamante), and his inspiration for creating them.

As Baron began his whimsical dance of mirroring the sculpture that evening, he'd call out, "If there is a God, show me a sign."  This went on several times, and I finally explained to Baron that should he really wish a sign, perhaps I could help him achieve it.  There were two palm trees in the courtyard below, and I asked, "If I can get the breezes to churn up the branches in the one to the left, while the one on the right stays still, will you consider it a sign?". . . Baron seemed tentative in his response.  But after a brief time, it did seem that we had a good amount of movement and activity moving the palms in the tree on the left, while the one on the right remained placid.

But, as things are sometimes to be, Baron was not thoroughly convinced it could really be considered a sign.  "Well what would you consider sign?" I responded.   After explaining that he felt a lightening bolt would be a pretty good sign, we had a discussion about the ability of calling things in to ourselves, and the responsibilities that come with the capacity.  I also explained that a lightening bolt was a pretty heavy duty sign, and he'd definitely want to be able to survive any such sign, or what would be the point. 

But Baron was still emphatic that he believed a lightening bolt would be a good sign.  I began to visualize the lightening bolt, and where it might best be directed, and Baron seemed to be sitting beside me contemplating all that I had said, when from across the North end of Bandaras Bay, and right at us, came the largest lightening bolt I ever saw in my life.  It sizzled, crackled, and sounded as if the explosive thunder was riding it's very back, as it headed our way.  It passed overhead and to the left of us by a mere few feet, and hit the transformer on the utility pole near us, which exploded.  There were startled screams from other inhabitants in the villas near by.  Baron jumped up, eyes wide open and bolted for the veranda door.   "That'll work!" he said. . .He had indeed received his sign.

We were without power for the remainder of the night, but the complex directly across the road had power, as did the areas immediately to the left and right.  Only our little section of villas were affected.

When my daughter and husband returned to the villa, Baron excitedly said, "Nana caused it, but we can't tell anyone because we'll be in trouble."  Tami asked Baron if he had learned something that night. . .There were lessons of course.  There is the knowledge that we can indeed call in power when needed, but it shouldn't be done so indiscriminately. . .But above all, there is a power much greater than ourselves.