Maintaining Connections

From the Restored Order Tarot, the Five of Swords; from the Oracle of Kabbalah, "Hei:"

          Have you ever gotten into a discussion with someone with whom you have a very different viewpoint? That's pretty normal, since we all come from diverse backgrounds and have had various experiences the other person might not have shared. But what happens when one person demands the other shift his or her ideas and beliefs to match theirs? There is no compromise and no tolerance of the other. No one gains anything from the exchange except perhaps a resentment and loss of respect.
          Hei literally means "lo" or "behold." In the Oracle of Kabbalah companion book, Seidman writes "The place on which we stand, wherever we stand, is holy ground... The question is whether or not we will pay attention and notice." Applegate's illustration uses frangipani flowers with this Hebrew letter. These flowers are often used in Hawaiian leis, symbols of affection. I can't help but think the fellows in the Five of Swords would have had a much happier outcome if they remembered their sacred connection while having their discussion.

 Without fear, we are able to see more clearly our connections to others. Without fear, we have more room for understanding and compassion. Without fear, we are truly free. ~ Thich Nhat Hanh