Worth Fighting For

From the Shadowscapes Tarot, the Seven of Wands; from the Cedar Runes, 'Tiwaz:'

          A mother fox defends her cubs from a badger. Humans are probably the most dangerous when we are defending what we love. When that defense is founded on principles and values (like the safety of our home and family), it is a worthy cause. Sometimes the fight is simply over opinions and well-worn traditions, which tends to be more about emotion than doing the right thing for the right reason. Tiwaz is a rune connected to the 'shining god' (Tyr), who sacrificed a hand for others. The arrow points the way to success, but it depends on taking the path of right action and a willingness to make rational sacrifices.

Civilization is not saved by the mere purging of one’s heart, but by the work of one’s hands. The forces of destruction must be met, each according to its kind, by the forces of deliverance. The crucial test of such a principle of life is afforded by the presence of a danger which threatens others, whom one may be pledged to serve, or some larger good extending beyond the limits of one’s personal life.  Strength without high purpose is soulless and brutal; purpose without strength is unreal and impotent. ~Ralph Barton Perry