Acts of Stewardship

From the Swietlistej Drogi, the Page of Swords; from the Mirrors of the Heart, Help:

If you haven't got anything nice to say about anybody come sit next to me.

―Alice Roosevelt Longworth

As much as it might pain us to admit, we've probably all got a little Alice in us. The Page of Swords, who enjoys collecting and disseminating information, would probably have a permanent seat next to her. He hasn't yet learned the importance of making sure what he hears is fact of fiction, he's just excited to pass it along. Help is a reminder that whether we tell stories about others is an ethical choice. Yonatan Hambourger reminds us: "When someone is misrepresented in a conversation, something delicate is placed in your hands. In small communities especially, word travels fast, and a sentence spoken casually can shape a reputation for years. Choosing to correct gently, to remain silent rather than amplify harm, or to speak with care when others are absent—these are acts of stewardship..."

It Makes A Lighter Load

This week I'll be using the Swietlistej Drogi Tarot (Tarot of the Radiant Path), created by Alla Alicja Chrzanowska and published by Studio Astropsychologii. I'll also be drawing from the oracle Mirrors of the Heart, created and self-published by Lily S. May. Today's draws are the Queen of Pentacles and Helping:

Asking for help is never a sign of weakness. It's one of the bravest things you can do.  

~Lily Collins

This Queen seems to be infusing each gift basket with a compassionate wish for well-being to its recipient. Her assistant, with one gift already in hand, waits patiently. As Rosalyn Carter reminded us, we either have been a caregiver, are currently one, will be one, or will need one. We all be asked to help provide for the needs of another at some point, in a small or large way. My husband has been in the hospital for the last four days with a life-threatening infection (but is now home). Sometimes we are required to step up to the challenge life presents us. But this is what I've found - Love makes all loads lighter.