My card of the day for Friday, September 18, 2020 was 13: The Journey from The Wildwood Tarot. I watched all day for the coming change…that which would end before the cycle of life moved onward. I mentally prepared my mind…all change is not bad…change is not permanent…the cycle of life goes on.
As I was preparing for bed, I looked at my phone and these words flashed across the screen, “OMG!! NOOOOO!!! RBG has died. My heart is broken…”
I confirmed my Facebook friend’s post and logged off Facebook. One of the things that the last 4 years have taught me is that social media is not the place for me to be during major events. Watching the debates and despair of others just fuels my own anxiety and despair.
“When a thoughtless or unkind word is spoken, best tune out.”
-Ruth Bader Ginsburg
In 2016 when the loser of the US election became President-elect, there was a similar moment of dread with posts flying rapidly across social media. I was distraught for weeks. I accomplished almost no work the first few days following the election. Gradually, I stopped feeding the flames of fear and began looking for those who were doing good, for the successes and the opportunities.
Today I know better than to scroll mindlessly through my feeds at times like these and allow the despair of others to fuel my own. It is highly likely that the most anti-equality President in my lifetime will appoint the replacement of an Equality Icon despite his predecessor being denied the right to appoint a Justice in 2016 under similar circumstance. The ideology of the court will shift with this appointment.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg was a champion for equality throughout her legal career. She has inspired more than one generation at this point to continue fighting for equality. She once famously remarked when asked how many women on the Supreme Court would be enough, “Nine.” A win was not the end for her.
For RBG, neither was loss the end. On more than one occasion she reminded us that it is vital to speak out against what is wrong because no decision is final if we carry on.
“So that’s the dissenter’s hope: that they are writing not for today but for tomorrow.”
-Ruth Bader Ginsburg
At times like these we are reminded by The Journey card (Death in other decks) to celebrate the things which have been accomplished and prepare ourselves for the days yet to come. The end of one thing is not the end of all things. We must move forward with what we have learned and been taught by the days gone by.
The 3 card reading I did for my weekend summed up for me how we need to deal with these events.
The 3 of Arrows (3 of Swords) reminds us that we will grieve and even face some jealousy in regards to the “other side” getting to appoint her replacement.
The 7 of Stones (7 of Pentacles) offers us healing. Healing can be found in appreciation of what she accomplished and in the glimmer of hope we find when on occasion, even the current President’s appointees rule against him.
13 The Journey (The Death card) popped up again…recognize that the cycle goes on. We must pick up where she left off and Dissent for a brighter tomorrow.
