Campfires and Carrots

From the Wildwood Tarot, the Eight of Bows:

Unlike the RWS Eight of Wands, this card shows a group gathered around a fire enjoying each other's company. I immediately thought of the holidays spent with my mom, cousins and their kids. When we all arrive, we are busy getting the meal ready, but after we eat, we all sit around the table and catch up with each other. We find out who's getting married and who passed away, who's getting a new job and who's retiring. But the best part is the stories we each tell, which usually keeps us laughing so hard our cheeks hurt. At first, I didn't see much connection with the traditional meaning, but then I realized these men have been freed from their obligations temporarily and are taking time to re-energize themselves. It's like the traffic jam of the Seven of Wands has finally given way to positive movement. My goal today shall be to find pleasure in this progress, enjoying the moment instead of worrying what will come later.

From the Shaman's Oracle comes the "Spirit of Wisdom:"

It's a bird, it's a plane, it's a carrot growing out of the ground? Well if it isn't a carrot, I still like the analogy of wisdom being half in the air (intellect) and half in the ground (practicality). Matthews gives this definition: "Wisdom is much more than knowledge; it is a profound understanding of our purpose in the world, and an intuitive grasp of how to exercise sound judgment based on the experience we have acquired in the course of our lives." I would probably add some humility to that mix. I think the those who are truly wise know they always have something to learn from others, even through the stories they tell.