It's a sign

Inspired by Long Aye-lander in Glasgow who is always posting photos of interesting signs and graffiti, I photographed an example from our neighborhood that I thought you’d enjoy. Here’s a picture which shows you the location (you can see I took it a while ago, when it was snowy).



It’s a set of four posts with reflective diamonds on top, to warn drivers that they’re approaching this T-junction, and that if they don’t stop, not only do they risk hitting cars on the road in front, but they will also end up in that ditch. (I so wanted to say ‘creek’ because that’s all American and Tom Sawyer-ish, and I just like the sound of the word, but truth and honesty compelled me to use the word ‘ditch’. Much less romantic, but we’re talking real life here.)

Then you need the close-up, to see what those letters spell out.



And there you have it. One of those moments in my life when I think “yes, there truly is a God”. You see, I’d had a particularly grotty morning that day. One of those mornings when you don’t even have an excuse for being moody and horrible. Just a grotty miserable morning. The sight of that graffiti made me laugh out loud, in the comfortable privacy of my minivan. It honestly did.

I like to think it must sometimes be fun to be God. Not much of the time, what with all the sadness and suffering and anguish in the world. But sometimes. I like to think of Her looking down, and thinking “Iota. She’s having a bad morning. Ooh, that’s a tough one. She’s not going to be impressed by those Bible verse bumper stickers that I get the local Christians to put on their cars. Oh no. Those just irritate her. What is it with her, anyway? Those bumper stickers cheer a lot of folk up, even if she thinks they’re annoying. I should know. I’m all-seeing and all-knowing. But not Iota, and ooh my goodness, certainly not Iota on a morning like this. Ah, I’ve got a good idea (though I say it myself). I’ll get her to drive down Hampson Street, and that fart graffiti will maybe give her laugh. Lighten the atmosphere a little. I knew it would come in useful when I got those kids to head out with their spray cans the other day. Yes. The fart graffiti. I’ll try that. Left indicator. Left indicator. Left, left, left. Turn here. Yup, there she is, on her way. Better get back to World Peace again – rather a trickier nut to crack that one.”

You can see I’ve just finished reading The Shack. You mean you haven’t yet? I thought I was pretty much the only one left when I did.