Some graffiti artist blacked out the “D” in “Danger” on signs at the edge of a cliff near Ottawa’s Parliament Hill. The sign now says “anger” along with drawings of a person and rocks falling off the cliff – not sure what the artist is mad about. But with all our fatigue, frustration, divided opinions, political goofiness and various uncertainties many are feeling overwhelmed by life and a touch cranky.

It was around 6:45 p.m. last week and Susan and I were driving southbound on a tree lined country road. The sun was still bright, but the angle of light was low to the west and illuminating the bright colours of the fast-changing leaves. The tops of the trees were bright, but the roadway was in dusky twilight. There is a spectacular beauty in the long shadows and bright colours, but it is also tinged with sadness that twilight is coming earlier each day as fall marches toward winter.

A response to last week’s thought response opened the deep story archives of my alleged mind. This story is not as old as Jesus’ story but goes back to the financial crash of 1987, very early in Touchstone’s life. A senior partner of a big accounting firm was referred to me about his crazily complex spiritual search involving a girlfriend, a wife and kids. A tangled mess it was.