As I walked and gathered items for this week's mandala, Irma was on my mind.  She seems so symbolic of the times in which we are living. As we grapple with questions of immigration and the reality of climate change,  our country's literal borders are being beaten back by the hands of mother nature.  Across the nation, many of our number appear to be struggling to maintain our footing in the swirl of chaos and fear surrounding us.  It is not surprising that some have wondered aloud if we are not at the end of days.