ocean of light. Although the vestiges of youth were still in her face, I also glimpsed an ancient knowledge in her, as if she had finally discovered a lofty secret she had been longing to know. At the corners of her closed eyes, she seemed to be smiling. Although unaware of it at the time, I now realize God had prepared me for a catastrophe years before in a dream that has haunted and mystified me ever since. While on vacation at a resort in Bend, Oregon, I awoke one morning and tried to understand the astonishing occurrences of my sleep, rehearsing this dream:

It was just getting dark one late autumn evening, and the last light seemed to hang in the air. I was alone, lying on my back on a short platform in an open clearing in the woods. Looking up at the sky through the bare limbs of trees, I suddenly saw a hawk fly by. Then I heard the roar of wings beating the air, and abruptly from my right, just above the treetops, a great flock of birds passed swiftly in front of me and disappeared to my left. My spirit and senses were completely awakened by this fabulous orchestration of nature, and I found myself praying, "Oh, God, give me a sign!" That instant, as if in response to my plea, in the darkening sky I saw an incandescent shooting star. I was now at rapt attention.

Next, I was aware of a man riding on a horse close to where I lay. His dog came over and licked my hand in a friendly way. Then I heard the beat of horses' hoofs, and in the next instant the rider on horseback appeared before me-an Indian warrior in superb condition and wearing only a leather breechcloth. He was bareback upon a mighty chestnut-red stallion that was fully alert to his every command. There was nothing tenuous about horse and rider; they were all purpose and power. Reaching back in one steady motion, the warrior drew an arrow from his quiver, placed it in his bow, effortlessly drew back his bowstring, and released it. At that moment, I realized I was not alone on the platform, for lying next to me was a young boy. In a split second, the arrow whizzed by me and struck the child's heart!