Without Reserve

From the Osho Zen Tarot, the Three of Water (Cups); from the A'HA Oracle, Tenderness:

The thing that leads to intimacy and relationship and connection is tenderness.

―Greg Boyle

Celebration doesn't depend on circumstances or a special day, but on enjoying the close relationships we've developed. Having a few trustworthy, devoted friends can make even rainy, dark days a bit brighter. But those kind of connections may not be easy to find because we may fear being taken advantage of when we are vulnerable. That is a possibility, but we can at least use those situations to look for any red flags we missed when we dare to try again. Tenderness suggests a heart that is generous, warm and spacious. It is accepting of the whole, even if some parts don't align with our preferences. Such a heart tends to draw other such hearts, creating a small cluster of people who care for each other without reserve.

Meeting Challenges Minus the Anger

  From the Spiral Tarot, the Five of Wands:

Fives are about challenges, and wands deal with getting things done; put them together and you get people bumping heads.  I'm a "get it done in advance" kind of gal, and my husband and daughter believe in the "no need to rush" philosophy.  I prefer order and structure, and they're in the "let it just all fall together" camp.  In different situations, one method is generally better than the other, but not all the time.  The challenge for me is to try not to force my opinion on another because I think I'm right, but to logically give reasons and explanations for my stance.  I also need to listen to my challengers with objectivity to see if their way would indeed be better (which will entail sending my ego to time out).

     From the Sacred Journey Cards comes "Tenderness:"

I was raised by gentle grandparents as a small child, then later was a part of a step-family where rage, yelling, and physical force was a part of daily life.  As an adult, I've had to relearn how to be soft-spoken, patient, and calm.  It's not always easy to remember to practice gentleness, but if I want someone to hear what I have to say, angrily screaming at them is not the way to do it.  I'll take Otis Redding's advice and "try a little tenderness" instead...