Return to Order and Equilibrium

From the Deirdre of the Sorrows, the Emperor:

“Enlightened leadership is service, not selfishness. The leader grows more and lasts longer by placing the well-being of all above the well-being of self alone.” ~ John Heider, The Tao of Leadership

I was supposed to be taking a road trip today; I had my music for the car ready, and had visions of me singing along as I rode with the windows down on this fall day.  But like the saying about best-laid plans going awry, Things Happened.  There was a family crisis and I was asked to stay home and help restore calm and balance.  Of course the selfish part of me wanted to get in the car and head out of town, leaving someone else to deal with the situation.  That part kept whining about being tired and stressed - not very leader-like behavior.  The Emperor has a tough job; while he may be a part-time warrior who protects the kingdom, he must also be a peace-keeper who restores order when there is chaos within his realm.  It is not easy to put individual wants aside for the well-being of the whole, but it's the choice I will make today.

From the Victorian Flower Oracle comes the "Flower Ball:"

The keywords for this card are "Happy Times;" balls are generally known for music, merriment and dancing with friends and family.  I compare my fantasy of music blasting as I sing alone in my car (above) with this one, where joy is shared with many others.  I know I'll get a chance for that road trip again soon, but for now I'll party with my family, celebrating a return to equilibrium.