Not a Free-for-All

From the Legacy of the Divine Tarot, the Ace of Swords; from Steps to Serenity, "Honesty:"

          Being a birder, the first things I notice about this Ace of Swords are the eagles in the foreground and the hawks in the background. As an American, I associate the eagle with freedom (and with the sword, the truth that sets you free). I see hawks frequently; they're expert hunters, diving at great speeds from great heights to catch their meals. They tear apart their prey with a sharp bill and talons, and what they capture has a quick (though not painless) death. These birds of prey remind me of Marchetti's words about this card: "This power of the mind can be used for good or evil, because the two edges of the sword are peace and suffering."
          Honesty can be like that two-edged sword, inflicting harm or righting a wrong. Ginny on 78 Notes to Self had an excellent post a few years ago about honesty. She posted a picture she had found on Facebook that said "I'm not rude, I'm honest." She expressed the opinion that rudeness isn't tough love - it isn't love at all. I have to agree; it feels more like passive-aggressiveness than honesty. It is interesting that in the 12 Steps, the one that deals with making amends suggests we make: "direct amends [rigorous honesty and restitution] to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others." Honesty is not a free-for-all food fight. People shouldn't wind up with more damage and harm than before I opened my mouth. I need to handle that sword very carefully.