Do you believe in gaurdian angels?

Picture of Annette and I taken by a street photographer. They actually used to have them.

I woke up one morning to the rolling thunder that I love and the rain dancing off the roof and pavement. What a wonderful sound to wake up to! The air was so cool with just a touch of fall and the house was the perfect temperature. I just wanted to snuggle back down under the covers and enjoy the storm, but it was a Monday and I had to get up and face reality.

As I laid there listening to the sounds of the storm I couldn't help remember an incident that happened to me right after we moved to Provo from Seattle. I was 7 years old when we made the move. In Seattle you have rain, rain and more rain, but you seldom experience the loud rolling thunder and lightening flashes that you do in Utah. The rain in Seattle is usually just rain without all the fan fair.

Because we didn't have a home when we first moved to Provo, we were temporarily living in Springville with a lady that mother worked with. School had started, mother had found a job and we were just waiting for the sale on our home to go through so we could move in. I was in second grade and Annette was in 7th grade. (I attended Franklin Elementary). The plan was that after school I was to walk the three blocks to the park on Center Street and Annette was to walk from junior high and meet me there. Together we would walk to my mother's work, which was about 6 blocks away. There we would do our homework until 5 o'clock and then ride with Mrs. Persons to her home. Mother didn't own a car and, in fact, never did.

Sometime in early October, I walked to the park and waited at the appointed tree for Annette to meet me. There had been a storm brewing most of the day and about the time I arrived in the park, it hit with all vengeance. The rain came down in torrents and the thunder rolled and the lightening danced across the sky. I was terrified, but kept my post for what seemed like forever. I finally decided that Annette had forgotten me and was sure I could find mother's office on my own. So began my journey through town. I wandered up and down through town and every side street that I thought would lead me to mother's office, but to no avail. I will never forget the terrified feeling of being completely lost and alone. It was just dusk, I was soaking wet, cold and crying when a young man came up to me, took my hand and asked me what was wrong. In between sobs, I told him I had lost my mother. My memory of the time has faded but I know that he walked for quite some time with me trying to help me find mother's office all the while assuring me that everything would be fine and we would find my mother.

Unbeknownst to me, Mother, Mrs. Persons and Annette had driven to the park and when they couldn't find me there began driving along center street and along side streets trying to find me. The finally spotted me, jumped out of the car and gathered me in their arms. They had been looking for me ever since Annette had arrived at mother's office without me. I remember my mother thanking the young man profusely for trying to help me. I am forever grateful for that kind young man who noticed me and stopped to help me. I am thankful that he was a good person. Do I believe in guardian angels? Yes I do. Do I believe that someone was watching out for me? Yes I do. Did I get a lecture on talking to strangers? Yes I did.

Now the story doesn't end there. After that experience, I determined I would never be afraid of thunder and lightening again so every time a storm came through you would find me sitting out on our front porch proving to myself that I was not afraid. For the first little while I would have mother sit with me but then after a time I was able to go out there on my own.