And In the Seventh Cup...

From the Buckland Romani Tarot, the Seven of Cups; from the Lakota Sweat Lodge Cards, the Tree of Life:

If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them. ~Henry David Thoreau

           Funny how age affects what we think will bring us happiness. When I was a kid, I was enthralled by Jacques Cousteau and desperately wanted to be an oceanographer. This young woman, on the verge of adulthood, imagines what will bring her joy - money, a home, beauty, a handsome partner, good fortune, or revenge. Of course whatever is chosen is still subject to change and transience, including our desires as well. Yet the Tree of Life suggests a solution. "The Creator has planted a Sacred Tree under which they may gather, and there find healing, power, wisdom and security. ...The fruits of this tree are the good things the Creator has given to the people: teachings that show the path to love, compassion, generosity, patience, wisdom, justice, courage, respect, humility and many other wonderful gifts." (Sacred Tree, Four Worlds Development Project) A spirituality, practiced and applied, can help us accept and adapt to change while offering wisdom to act with an appropriate response. [Whispers to young girl: "Choose the one with the handkerchief over it."]

Throw Off the Bowlines

From the Jolanda Tarot, the Seven of Cups; from Bird Signs, Hummingbird:

          Who hasn't read a book or magazine and dreamed of visiting some far off place, having an exciting job or making a difference in the lives of others? Reading always feeds my fantasies. I suppose that's where change starts - in the dreams of what could be. But Hummingbird shows up with the keyword "energy," suggesting my ideas need more than just imagination to fuel them. In Buddhism, a vow (or commitment) is composed of four parts: basis (the object of focus), intention (the wish), endeavor (acts of effort), and completion (the fulfillment of the objective). The Seven of Cups has the first two parts covered, but to make what I envision a reality will require physical work and perseverance. So while I agree with Dr. Seuss who said "Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living," I also need to heed the words of H. Jackson Brown Jr.:

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor.