Derailed

From the Wheel of Change Tarot, the Eight of Swords; from the Oracle of the Dreamtime, Frog:

          I've noticed that people (including myself) who've experienced traumatic events can get trapped in the mindset of "it might happen again." Of course, it's possible that we may deal with another challenge, but there's no guarantee that it's right around the corner or even that it will happen at all. However, after our sense of control and ability to cope seem to disappear, we can be left feeling over-stimulated and on high alert. But these symptoms are the result of our thinking not reality; we are still living in the story of what happened and not in the present. The chamomile in this drawing is a reminder to calm down and take a break from the mental chatter.
          The Aboriginal tale of Frog explains that he was so thirsty, he drank up all the water everywhere and became huge. When the other animals became hot and thirsty and realized what happened, they decided to make Frog laugh to bring back the water. While most of the animals did funny things, Eel pitched a hissy fit that tickled Frog so much he unleashed all the water. The lesson from this story is that humor can lighten situations and change perspectives. It can also help us not take life so seriously, brightening our dark moods and derailing our mental habits.