Ripping off Bandaids

From the Shining Tribe Tarot, the Nine of Birds (Nine of Swords):

An owl sits atop a burial chamber; in front of it is a stylized cutting tool.  I am reminded by this card of how lonely it is to go through a period of intense fear or grief.  No matter how many compassionate people try to console me, I am the one who must deal with what is in my head and heart.  After my mom and dad retired, they booked a trip to Australia and New Zealand.  When he died unexpectedly, my mom's dream of traveling the world with the love of her life disappeared in an instant.  Her doctor tried to prescribe pills to help her cope and sleep, but she told him, "I can grieve now then go on and live my life, or I can numb myself so I don't have to feel; if I choose the second option, I'll end up with a miserable life."  The triangle on the burial statue and the yoni on the blade tell me that the only way out is to go through it. I can separate what is real from what is speculation, and then find the courage to deal with it as best I can.

From the animal tiles oracle was chosen the "Hawk:"

We have two types of hawks that frequent my neighborhood - the red-tailed and the red-shouldered.  Both of these hawks have an intense hunting style; they swoop down from their perch or the air at incredible speeds and quickly rip the heads off their prey.  While not necessarily pretty, it is merciful.  I recently watched another not-so-familiar hawk (a Cooper's) swoop down on my bird feeder to grab a grackle.  He had a different kill style - he squeezed with his talons until the bird died.  The hawk advises me that I can pull the bandaid off quickly or slowly and more painfully.  There will be pain, but I can make the choice of how I want to experience it.