Last week, Susan and I went for a late afternoon drive in the countryside outside town to enjoy the bright colours of the changing leaves. The low angled sun made the colours vibrant but when I was driving toward it my windshield had streaks that blurred the sun and made seeing the colours impossible.  

Our provincial government has been embroiled in a controversy about what properties might be released from a greenbelt environmental protection region ringing Toronto. It appeared some lobbying of key officials led to properties being released, to the advantage of a small group of “friends” of the government. It all blew up in the government’s face.  We all lobby in some way or other when we advocate for another person’s interests but some of it is without agenda and some has a bit of a smell. 

The quick click of the automatic light switch turning on our front door lights startled me at its timing. The Blue Jays game had barely begun, and the diminished daylight tripped the switch before 7:30 a few nights ago. It’s dark when I get up and the sun’s low on the drive home.  

Heating a knife blade on an open fire before cutting a snake bite and sucking out the venom from a snake bitten cowboy was a popular story line in the western movies of my youth. Being snake bitten was one of many obstacles our hero had to overcome before the show could end with a ride into the sunset accompanied by his sidekick and happy music.  

The world has changed and yet it has stayed the same since the events that froze our lives for a few anxious days 22 years ago today. We had just finished an early morning Touchstone Forum discussing Jesus’ story of a rich guy who had his loan on life called in. As we closed, the venue staff approached me with confusion and fear in their faces pointing at confusing television coverage of the events.