Unfolding Wisdom

From the Cosmic Tarot, the Queen of Swords:

What I noticed even more than this self-assured queen was the dove in the bottom corner. In our area we have mourning doves, named for the mournful calls they make. (Perhaps the couple in the background stirs a memory of a former lover or husband.) Yet the dove has long represented peace, which makes me conclude this queen has come to terms with the losses in her life. She's well aware that emotions can lead people around in circles, which is why she chooses rational thought to cut those unhealthy ties. It's not that she doesn't fully enjoy life, she just realizes it is a continuous cycle of change. As she has been made aware, pain often precedes the unfolding of wisdom.

The card from the L'Oeil de Lotus this morning is "Betrayal:"

We Southerners become well versed in always being polite, and such an effort can require pretending with some people. But if I get in a habit of masking my feelings with others, I may start trying to hide them from myself (self-betrayal).  It's easy to get out the scrapbook and photo albums when it comes to the good feelings, but it's tough to do so with the painful ones. The Queen of Swords would encourage me to be willing to sit and have an open conversation with these difficult memories. There may be something more to them than just pain that I need to hold onto.