Safe on Base

From the Victorian Romantic Tarot, the Five of Swords; from the Dreaming in Color Deck, Family:

          Two older boys intimidate and tease a younger one. While bullying has always been around, it seems here in America it has become more prevalent over the last years. Whether intentionally or unintentionally, we are training the younger generation to be this way. I've seen it when I've tried to talk to parents about their children's behavior in school, and they insist that little Johnny or Susie would never do or say something like that (and thus excuse their cruelty). It's beginning to seem acceptable to earn power and self-esteem by denigrating and destroying other people. An even greater example is our newly elected Tyrant-in-Chief. "Love your neighbor" obviously only counts when you're sitting in a church pew on Sunday morning. Sommers gives her card the keyword 'family,' but insists it includes any personal place or group that acts as a refuge. Like children playing tag who have a safe 'home base,' this is the place we can go to get away from the craziness and rest. Yet even here, I must be cautious not to allow the media to infect my sacred space. As one of the Five Precepts states (in Susan Moon's rendition): "I vow not to intoxicate body or mind but to cultivate a mind that sees clearly."