I know I seem to be off the subject of Lucid Dreams here, I'm really not.  The events I am writing about  today,  were directly responsible for me becoming interested in them.  For one reason, every time Lightning hit me, I had an incredible Dream experience. After which my life had dramatic changes. Changes Both in my circumstances and my way of living. Even in my way of thinking.  (Always for the better) 

June 6 1977...

In 1977, I was living in Paterson New Jersey.  To those of you who may be familiar with that city, I lived 2 blocks down from East Side Park.   This is the largest park in the city.   On the West Side was the park for the Great Falls. Actually a fairly famous waterfall. It was Named by Alexander Hamilton. The city itself I believe, was partially designed by him too.   It's interesting reading. Worth a minute to look it up.
I was on the East Side though.  At the time, I was working in the city. I had a good job times were OK.  A lot less to worry about back then. Nothing like today.  A lot simpler. Actually most of the big concerns we have now, as far as bills go, didn't even exist yet back then. No cell phones or internet. Not even Debit cards. It was sort of the tail end of the time when TV was king.  Just before the Electronic Digital Age we have now came about.  Even though the worries were proportionate to the expenses and problems of the time, looking back at it, It really was much simpler.

I remember every morning waking up at 5:00 and going across the street to the old fashioned sit down kind of coffee shop/deli place on the corner.   Every day I would go in there and Listen to the chatter and news about what was going on in the city.  Lots of interesting people in there too.  Cops, Firemen, Politicians and teachers. I remember sitting there every morning and listening and talking to them. People like the Principle of East Side High School, or the Editor of the Newspaper.  Had some pretty interesting conversations in there almost every day. I was there every morning.  THIS particular morning however, was a little different.
After I left the coffee counter in the morning, I would go up into East Side Park and read the paper and finish my coffee.   East Side was a typical city park, nice place but could be a little dangerous at times.  I used to walk around picking up trash and throwing it away. There was always comments to me about it too.  Some people just didn't like that.  But I did it anyway.
I used to sit in the Garden in the morning on the top of the terrace hills facing East. There was this big cement seat in there with fountains around it.  Something for Mother's Day I think.  There was this large American Flag in there, and this Great view of the New York Skyline with the sun rising in the morning.   I brought my radio with me, and at 6:00 am  they would play the National Anthem on the station.   So every day, That's how I started. Watching the sun rise over New York, with the National Anthem playing on the radio.  I have to tell you, I really miss that. It was always inspirational.
On a previous day, I had found a Baseball Bat and ball and glove in the Park. I used to walk around in the morning using the Bat as sort of a walking stick. It made me feel safer too, cause there were always things like Wild dogs and Rats and stuff. Never once had to actually use it for protection, but it didn't hurt you know? I remember the people I used to talk to in the coffee shop used to call me, "Bat Boy", cause of it.  It was all in fun. They knew I was up in the Park picking up trash and Garbage cans and stuff in the morning, so They kind of respected that I guess.    Actually when I moved, I did give the Bat to somebody in there. I don't remember who that was, but I was moving soon and just gave it away one morning.

Anyway, back to the subject. This one particular morning I went up to the park as usual at 5:30 or so. I walked there this time. Most of the time when I walked, I had an umbrella with me in case it rained.  Well I'm sitting there and the Sky gets darker, and darker.  I'm kind of exposed where I was, so I decided to walk to the Gazebo in case it did rain.    So I brought the umbrella and the bat and started walking.   As I was walking A guy I worked with came driving by. He says  "You stay out here, Your gonna get hit by Lightning!"   Well I knew that wasn't gonna happen cause I already had been hit by it.  What are the odds of  TWO times?  It seemed safe enough, so I said I would see him at work, and off he went.   ( I wish I had THAT decision to do over again).     
It could not have been a minute later, when the wind picked up, and the Sky got that  Nasty Storm look to it.  I mean it got dark. It almost looked like Tornado clouds.  The most threatening clouds I have ever seen.  Before OR since in fact.  The clouds actually seemed to be directly above me. I could see the bright sky on the edges of them. I was right in the middle of a small intense storm cell, and I was going to get hammered by it any second!   I remember thinking,  Uh , Oh,   this was not a good Idea, and started to run toward the Gazebo.  And HEY, I almost made it too!  They say  "Almost doesn't count, except for horseshoes and hand grenades."    Well you can include Lightning in there too!  I'll explain that in a minute.
  About maybe 200 yards or so from the Garden I was in, was a Cage with some Deer in it. The deer of course were having nothing to do with this, so they were in the little shed they had, and they just sat there watching me run.  Now If deer could laugh, I'm certain these 3 would have.   I can still remember those faces. looking out the shed door, with the funniest looks on them.    I was almost tempted to get in that shed, but it was fenced in and I was not climbing any Iron fence. Especially with THOSE clouds.

Now the wind is picking up, and I'm running as fast as I can.  This wind was the strongest I have ever felt, and as I was running, all around me there were tree limbs getting ripped off and thrown around.  Not small ones either. I'm talking foot and a half by 2 feet in diameter, and weighing hundreds of pounds. This was no joke. I have been in a lot of hurricanes and storms, but they paled compared to this.   Then came the first Lightning...

I can describe this lightning only one way.  I remember when I was a kid, I used to watch The Little Rascals. There was one episode where they went camping, and it started to Lightning, and the lightning was chasing  them and Petey the dog.  Striking maybe 3 feet behind them As they ran away screaming.  Every once in a while hitting them in the rear end.  If you have ever watched the little rascals, you know the scene I'm talking about.  It was funny then, but not now, cause that was exactly what was happening to me!
Now it's starting to rain. coming down in buckets. The wind had to be blowing a hundred miles an hour, cause it was blowing the rain sideways. Right into my face.  I was about 30 yards from the Gazebo, when I had to stop and duck   right next to this giant Oak tree.  (you see where this is going right?)   So I'm ducking down there, and trying not to get killed. My umbrella got pulled inside out and ripped from my hands.  Now I still had the bat in my hands.  By the way It was a METAL bat!   So I figure I would pick it up and keep on running.  I know that was about the worst thing I could have done. At the time, I wasn't thinking about that, cause I could feel the hair on my neck starting to stand up. Once that happens in a lightning storm, you are in serious danger.    So I get to another Oak tree and crouch down next to it, when the next thing I saw was the Huge bright flash, and heard this huge crack.  Well I had about a quarter of a second until that bolt reached from the tip of that bat in my hands, to me.  I was a little lucky, cause The lightning had actually struck the tree, THEN the bat, THEN me.  That tree blew up like The tree in the Movie,  "The Natural",  when he made his own bat.  It was exactly like that, only I was right next to it.  I have no idea how I was not killed. It passed right through me. It felt like I was getting hit by a train!  I only felt that for a split second before I was out cold again.  This time I remembered the strike. At least a second or two of it.     
Before I continue, I would like to add something.  Even though I knew how dangerous Lightning was, I was still curious about the dream I had in 1966.   So when this happened, I really wasn't afraid, until I actually felt my hair stand up, and knew I would be struck.  I did not feel that in 1966. I was just knocked out by the Wall blowing up.  There was no time to be scared in back then,  but this was different. I actually knew it was coming, when I got to that tree. That was frightening.  And I did get hit again. So PLEASE be careful of lightning. It is nothing to fool with OK?...
 
I believe that what happened next, was the reason I started to study Lucid Dreaming.  After the Bolt hit me, I thought I was awake, but I really was not. I was just laying there stunned.  What I remember of those few minutes, or whatever it was is this.
I remember getting up and walking back to the seat in the Garden, Where I picked up the Paper I was reading. Only it was not the same thing. So I read it, and It showed the Name of the town where My family lived, upstate New York,  And It showed a Rebuilt Railroad station being used for a Library.  What got me though, was the Date.  It was Years ahead.  It was in the 1990's.  This was 1977.

This was long before "reality checks" With Lucid Dreaming and all that, So in the Dream I kept reading.  I saw the state these things were in THEN, and the state they WOULD be in in 23 years.  There was a Big difference.  I distinctly remember looking at that, and saying to myself, "What happened there?"    In the dream, the answer was clear.  The story said, "Through private charities, These were able to continue and serve".  That's all I saw. Then I woke up.  This time I was alone.  I was laying next to the burnt tree and Scorched Bat.   I believe it was at THAT moment, when I decided to move to My family's town.   (The same one in  the Dream)      I was already thinking about leaving, but this kind of made it pretty clear what I should do. It took me a while, but I finally did move there.
I did actually end up making donations for the places I read about in the Dream that day.  Library and Soup Kitchen.   I have a post here that already tells about that.    
Anyway, that's what happened that day in Paterson New Jersey.   There is nothing mystical about it.  It's just a case of somebody getting knocked out and remembering a dream.   But man, What a Dream.
So that's why I say this is related to lucid Dreaming.  I believe these were the First 2 I ever had.     I Don't know how many of you have been hit by a Lightning Bolt.  Maybe you would remember, maybe not.  But I did remember these dreams, and they changed me forever.   That's why I'm talking about Lucid Dreams on here.
I have since had plenty of Lucid Dreams.  Most of them were simple dreams, flying and all that, But a few were extremely insightful. This has worked for me.  Whether it works for anyone else, I can't say.  I only know, it did for me.
One thing more.  When you find yourself in a bad situation, or need to make a difficult decision, or whatever it may be, My advice is, Follow your heart.  The first impression of the Heart is usually the correct thing to do.  It's usually the most difficult also.  I try to keep a rule with myself. It's a simple rule.  That is to Simply Do the Right thing for the Right reason, and follow my heart. The heart can give you some really tough answers sometimes though, so be prepared for that.   In the past, I did not follow that rule, and found myself in worse situations, than if I did.  So I need to learn as well.
I believe that something good is coming. All we have to do is expect it.  So, follow your dreams my friend. Follow your Dreams. The problems you and I face today are considerable, and the answer will not be an easy one.  Just remember that there is an answer.  It lies inside us. Each of us.
Well, that's my story of 2 of the 3 events I experienced with Lightning.  I have one more story about it, But that's for another day.
As usual, Thanks for reading
Peace  G