Whose Truth?

This week I'll be using the Touchstone Tarot, created and self-published by Kat Black. Along with it I'll be using the John Waterhouse Oracle, created and self-published by Elaine Wilkinson (aka Seven Stars). Today's draws are the Ace of Swords and Hylas and the Nymphs:

          The angel in Black's Ace of Swords suggests this card is more about truth and justice than inspirational ideas. The tiger the angel keeps as bay reminds me of Anne Lamott's words: "You don't always have to chop with the sword of truth. You can point with it too." When I catch someone in a falsehood, I want to chop. I want to use the facts to shove them to their knees until they plead for mercy. Can you tell I despise dishonesty? But treating another person like that might not uncover the whole truth, like why they felt the need to lie (or simply omit the facts) in the first place. Consider Hylas, a beautiful youth who was taken in by Heracles after his father was killed in battle. Heracles loved Hylas like a son, and made him one of the Argonauts. Yet along the way, Hylas was kidnapped by nymphs of a spring who had fallen in love with him. Heracles searched for Hylas in vain for an extended period of time. It was said that Hylas had fallen in love too, and didn't want to be found. The adventures of Heracles were not his own; Hylas had his own path to follow.