A Different Kind of Gain

From the Rosetta Tarot, the Nine of Disks; from the Ascension to Paradise deck, the Ovenbird:

          The "Gain" card seemed like an unusual draw after the death of my mother-in-law. And while some may say it has to do with an inheritance, those who've spent a long period caring for a loved one will tell you that by the end you'll be scraping the bottom of the barrel. But the abacus made me think of something else as we plan for an in-town visitation and service as well as an out-of-state burial. Grief can overwhelm some folks to the point where they become nearly immobile and unable to make any decisions. Here is where the organizational skills I've honed have become valuable. With each task, I slide over a bead: pick out a casket and vault, take clothes to the funeral home, make phone calls, choose old photos to frame, write the obituary, send personal thoughts to the pastor and make more phone calls. It seems like I'll never get all the beads moved, but progress is being made. The South American Ovenbird constructs a clay, cave-like "oven" instead of a nest. The creators suggest this bird indicates reaching the end of a cycle. "Something that has taken you a lot of time, effort and energy is starting to coalesce now." And the biggest gain we'll receive is a consolidation of the family.

I was raised in a family that gave out love by the spoonful, and then only if certain conditions were met. Any disappointments or embarrassments would result in the “privilege” of that love being taking away as punishment. But what a heaping serving of love awaited me when I joined the King family. Once under Vera’s umbrella of care and kindness, I found her heart was always open no matter what mistakes or missteps were made. Her love was unconditional and all-embracing. I’ve come to think of her as “She Who Loved Fiercely and Completely.”