Sunrises and Sunsets

From the Fairytale Tarot, the Sun; from the Tree Affirmation Cards, "Japanese Maple:"

          The Sunchild is an African tale of a woman who begs the Sun for a child with the promise to return her when she is twelve. Once received, the woman and her daughter live happily together until the Sun comes to collect the child as per the agreement. Although the Sun treats the girl kindly, he immediately notices her sadness; eventually he realizes she'll never be content and sends her back to her mother. The story and card represent a moment of clarity when understanding is realized. Once known, it can't be erased or ignored.
          I love Japanese maples; I've got two in my front yard and three small Japanese laceleaf maples in my backyard. It's easy to see why these beautiful trees would be included in Japanese gardens. They were given the species name palmatum because of the hand-like shape of its leaves. Lewis assigns the keyword "flow" to this card: "Everything is subject to change, some of it seasonal, some of it running in much larger cycles. Life is easier if we accept this...When we do this and let go of our expectations, we may be pleasantly surprised where the current takes us." The story of the Sunchild expresses this idea well; good days and bad days are as normal as the rising and setting of the sun. Equanimity comes when I can accept this as a universal truth.

The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance. 

― Alan W. Watts