The Road to Hell

From the Urban Tarot, the Ten of Swords; from the Principles to Live By, Trustworthiness:

          No one sets out to become an addict. It often begins by simply looking for a solution for stress and anxiety with a few drinks and later adding a few pills. For some of us, those moments of bliss and relief get superglued in the mind as a sane choice to relieve our suffering. No matter the consequences, that belief sticks. One blind belief is soon buried under dozens more; they keep the illusion alive that we are coping well with life. But eventually, life hits back so hard we can't get up again. Being at rock bottom often allows a sliver of sanity to appear, realizing that our ideas, choices, and actions are what brought us low as we recognize the fantasy of control. Here can be the first step in a steep climb back to clarity. Arrogant people with rigid belief systems (not just substance abusers) can create conflict and chaos wherever they go. It's no wonder that Trustworthiness makes an appearance. People climbing out of dark holes often get peeved because others don't give an inch, as they've been trained not to expect openness and integrity. Like the gold star on a school paper, it must be earned with actions rather than words.

Hell is paved with good intentions. – Samuel Johnson