When the stock market started falling through the floor in early October, I started getting phone calls from friends and relatives. They were selling their equities and wanted my blessing. What does one say? Not being an investment advisor, but having spent years as the go-to gal for those I love when they want to discuss financial issues, I mostly listened. There's no denying the reality of people's fears, especially those that are in or near retirement.

The upheaval is great for journalists—what a story!—and we've been covering struggles of financial institutions and the markets in depth on our website. In print, as a monthly publication, we have to take a longer view.

When we went to press on October 14, the Dow closed at 9,310.99. I can't imagine what acrobatics the market will undergo between the time I send off this page and the time you read it.

Here's what I do imagine, with sympathy: the time all of you must have been spending on the phone with clients during the past few weeks. Every advisor I've met with recently has been communicating, communicating and communicating some more.

The toughest questions, though, are the ones you have to ask yourself. Have you done enough for your clients? Did you make prudent choices? Did you stress-test them? And if clients chose riskier courses that you thought ideal, are you really, truly sure that they understood the real possibility of loss?

This is the third big bad market drop of my professional life, and each time I am amazed by how many people never thought they could lose money—until they did. I assume that you have at least one client who usually feels one up on reality, and is now being humbled.

And maybe you are being humbled as well. This issue is full of interviews with experts who have had fundamental opinions altered by the harsh turn of events. Some advisors have adjusted their strategies; others have tightened their focus on their own businesses. A few have found that they hold their core beliefs more strongly than ever.

Several stories in this issue focus on the effects of the past few weeks. One is our cover story, "Markets Under Siege," in which writer Jeanne Lee and I question notable personalities from across the industry and get their take on the new financial landscape. Another is David Drucker's "Shaken and Stirred," a roundup of interviews with planners and other experts who are rethinking their approach to their businesses. We're thrilled to have Dave back in Financial Planning.

If you have a moment, please send an email. How are you doing? What are you doing? We'd like to know.