Keep an Eye Out

From the Tarot of the Cat People, the Knight of Pentacles; from the Insectorum Divinorum, Hemiptera:

Slow and steady wins the race, not the person who wants to climb the whole stairs in one stride. 

—Michael B. Johnson

The Knight of Pentacles would agree with Aesop: consistent, patient effort is usually more successful than quick, erratic bursts. The Knight is very deliberate in his approach, keeping his eye on the task at hand while avoiding useless distractions. Come hell or high water, he intends to get the job done. Hemiptera is an order of insects known as 'true bugs.' They are distinguished from other insects by their specialized piercing-sucking mouthparts and partially hardened forewings. These insects suggest we slow down our rush to the finish line and pay attention to details. As John Wooden said, "It's the little details that are vital. Little things make big things happen."

Reasoned Judgment

From the Da Vinci Enigma Tarot, the Emperor; from the Insectorum Divinorum, Hemiptera:

Dimmi: What are the boundaries of safety and order in this situation?

          The fantastical elements of this armor were added by Leonardo, whose sitter for this sketch was just an ordinary man. Without this knowledge, how easy it would be to judge him as some pompous ruler with more concern for attire than his kingdom. Hemiptera is an order of insects known as 'true bugs;' they are distinguished by their piercing mouth parts used for sucking sap from plants (but in some cases animals) with nymphs that resemble the adult form. Both these cards point to the danger of making a snap judgment without being aware of factual evidence. Assumptions may seem to protect us; rather than investigate and confirm, we fill in what is unknown based on our preferences and biases. But such misinformation just creates more chaos and insecurity, not safety and order. 

It is useless to attempt to reason a man out of a thing he was never reasoned into.

~Jonathan Swift