Sorrow
When a dramatic event occurs, a hole opens in the psyche. Sorrow floods the mind with somber tones, shoving happiness and clarity to the side. Sorrow trickles down, drip by tearful drip, into the body and soul; all the way down to the leaden feet that barely carry us through the day. Whatever happened robs us of sunshine but enriches our lives with the wisdom of sadness. With it we make room for a deeper telling of our stories.In the card three swords pierce a once-beautiful rose whose petals fall away like memories, pale reflections of what was. This is sorrow. Some dramatic change has occurred: a death in the family, the end of a long relationship, the departure of a dear friend. The three swords represent our thoughts, and the disintegrating rose their focus. Rooted in handles of bone, the symbol of death, the blades are as clear and shiny as the acceptance we will come to. Living tear drops, the water of rebirth, run down the handles as the price of that acceptance. Stabbing sorrow is only softened by the tears that express the depth of our feeling. In the background the web of life in all of its mysterious intricacy descends to the sky as spirit departs sorrow on the way to another experience.
