Little and Big

From the Tarot of Durer, the Two of Batons; from the Philosopher's Stone, Prudence:

The Twos are often deal with decisions about how we want to expend our energy. In this illustration, one lion works to grab a hedgehog, but the other lion seems to growl and say, "That animal is less than a mouthful! Quit spending your time on him and let's go grab something that will actually feed us!" I can relate to wasting time on something I considered important that in big picture wasn't. Often it is a distraction not to have to do harder more challenging tasks. The Prudence card shows a stone-man focusing on the larger rock rather than the pebble. Nicolas Chamfort once said, "Eat a live frog first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day." He, of course, didn't advocate frog eating but getting the toughest job out of the way first. That way when we do have to face the small stuff, it does indeed feel small.

Common Prudence

From the Osho Zen Tarot, the Nine of Pentacles; from the A'HA Oracle, Prudence:

          Padma has titled this card 'Ripeness,' a nod to things being at their peak. It is a time to pause and enjoy rather than rush off looking for the next pleasure. Yes, things will change soon, as that barely-there crescent moon indicates. And it is often the loss of them that reminds us of their worth. If we can enjoy the moment without attachment to it, it becomes possible to appreciate it without adding the weight of desperation. Prudence - the foresight of wisely managing resources - suggests making use of what we have while we have it with a dose of discernment. Today in America is Black Friday, a day consumers are encouraged through every media source available to spend, spend, spend. While it is a great day to find some good deals, the buyer might want to remember the bills that will come due next month.

 It is but common prudence to see our way out before we venture in.

~Aesop