Necessary Labor

From the Spiral Tarot, the Princess (Page) of Pentacles; from the Sacred Journey Cards, "Fortitude:"

          With the daffodils in full bloom, it must be spring where this young girl lives. The companion book states this card represents "the need to make an idea or plan material, to bring it down to earth." Having been a preschool teacher, I've found that young children will be eager to learn and try just about anything if you present it with enthusiasm and a dash of fun. But the SJ card adds another ingredient: fortitude. Last night I dreamed I was pregnant and in labor (though I'm well past childbearing). The one thing I remember saying was, "My first labor only lasted five hours; why is this one taking so long?" Obviously I need a dose of perseverance, a resolve to go the distance even when things aren't as much fun. As Terry Prachett cheekily observed, “There are times in life when people must know when not to let go. Balloons are designed to teach small children this.”