The Soft Spot

From the Ship of Fools Tarot, the Six of Cups; from the Wisdom of the Four Winds, Moss:

Care is a state in which something does matter; it is the source of human tenderness. 

—Rollo May

Have you ever been watching a younger generation at play and fondly thought, "I remember when..." This fool, meeting the young boy on his hobby horse, is likely having the same thoughts. Such moments are important; in a harsh world, we need to be reminded that our hearts can still be tender. Moss, with its beauty and cushiony softness reminds us that we need to nurture this quality. We cultivate the softness of our hearts so that we don't lose our empathy and goodwill. As Robert Frost wrote, "There never was any heart truly great and generous, that was not also tender and compassionate."

Words of Wisdom

From the Ship of Fools Tarot, the Six of Swords; from the Wisdom of the Four Winds, Moss:

          I've got one person in my life who I allow to wreck my equanimity, much like this fellow's poor boat. He is unbalanced at the best of times and dangerous at the worst. My thoughts about him stir up my emotions, and I soon find myself in stormy waters. I've heard so many people advise to "just let it go," which sounds easy and doable with a simple resentment or hurt feelings. But this is not that, and I find Joseph Goldstein's advice to be more helpful: "let it be." To let something (or someone) go, implies an action that I have no idea how to do. Goldstein's suggestion allows me to acknowledge without requiring a specific action; devoid of desire or expectation, I let it float out to sea (let it be). It is, as the Beatles sang, words of wisdom.
          Moss thrives in places that no other plant will grow - on bare rock, compacted clay and in extreme shade. It appears so soft and fragile yet manages to survive in the most unwelcoming spots. Moss reminds me to find joy in the simple and ordinary, which relates to the lojong slogan I've been working with this week. It's so easy to narrow my focus until all I see is what is wrong, instead of expanding my view to include all that is good and beautiful too. If I open my heart and mind wide enough, there will be room for all.