Ruffled Minds

From the Sun and Moon Tarot, the Nine of Swords; from the Animal Tiles, Platypus:

A ruffled mind makes a restless pillow. — Charlotte Bronte

I've been waiting for daylight all night. It's not that I wasn't tired, but that I couldn't sleep. I'm a list maker, someone who's mind (when on autopilot) is constantly thinking, analyzing and categorizing. Insomnia is not new for me; I've learned that drugs rarely help. Instead, I steer it in other directions - I read a nonfiction book, or I think of pleasant things like ideas for the next library display or children's bulletin board. My mind obviously doesn't think these things are important, and I eventually drift off. Platypus is a shy mammal that looks like a cross between a duck and a beaver. It reminds me that I don't have to think or act like the rest of my family, I can embrace my uniqueness. That said, some time spent on my own while I'm with them this week will help me stay balanced.