The Handling of Hickory Nuts

From the Shadowscapes Tarot, the Ace of Cups:

Fish and water beings swim in a current that emanates from a chalice. But I also notice rings of energy spreading from the bottom of the cup. There are people I come in contact with almost daily, and I can see the effects of my love on them, like the ocean creatures in the current. But then there are those strangers I stand in lines with or pass at the grocery store who I may offer a smile or give some encouraging words that I might never see again. I think small acts of compassion or kindness will have a ripple effect in some of these cases. I might not get to hear or see "the rest of the story" (as Paul Harvey used to say), but I believe loving attention is never wasted.

 From the Cedar Runes this morning comes "Eihwaz:"

The yew is a tree with rough bark,

hard and fast in the earth, supported by its roots,

a guardian of flame and a joy upon an estate.

~ Anglo-Saxon poem

Eihwaz / Eoh is associated with the yew tree that is long-lived yet contains highly poisonous alkaloids. The teaching behind this rune is a tough one, like the rough bark of the yew. It deals with initiation and transformation (the hard part), but it ends with joy if one perseveres. Combining this rune with the tarot card above, I am encouraged to love the unlovable, those who seem so crusty and resistant to acts of kindness. Like a hickory nut, sometimes that hard exterior hides a tenderness hidden deep inside.