Moving On

The swords suit is so emotional and hard to write about. I thought I’d get a break after last week’s blog post...but no. Today I’ve been given the 6 of swords as my topic.

This card is neutral as far as emotions go, and it takes on the “flavor” of the other cards around it in a spread to determine its mood. Anna K depicts this card beautifully with the main players crossing a river towards a destination that is fogged in. The river isn’t calm where they are, but it does appear to flatten out in the distance. The main figure carries most of the swords on their back, meaning they are still wary, still armed and possibly still wounded from previous combat. The secondary character is huddled, watchful, forward facing like the main character is, but they are less open, and on their knees, maybe in prayer, maybe to be less of a target. That character also has swords but they are not poised for battle, they are in a more guarded position

This card is all about movement. It could be an actual physical move or an emotional shift. The choice wasn’t totally up to you, you are reacting to conditions that may have deteriorated around you...so you are headed off to somewhere you hope is better. You hope to find a place where you can regroup and heal, maybe even put roots down and try again. The only thing you really know is that where you are headed is bound to be better than where you are now.

I. Hate. Change.

I am a creature of habit and I have my 5 mile circuit that I’m comfortable driving. I know those roads, all of my errands fit inside that, and I happily keep my world small. Life is simple. Want to see me panic? Tell me I have to attend an event with people I don’t know at an address far outside my 5 mile radius. In fact...nine times out of ten I’ll have a last minute reason to cancel. That’s how much I hate change.

My little world is about to change again. We are moving due to my spouse’s job. Strangers are going to come and touch all of my stuff, put it all in boxes, then move it to our new house that we don’t have yet. I know the area we are moving to, I’ve done plenty of research, but now I have to actually move my life there. This means new neighbors, new 5 mile radius, new roads, new shopping places, new everything.

AND...I’m giving up my car that I’ve had for 12 years.

The car is something I know we need to get rid of because I haven’t driven her in nearly 6 months. I have a different car, my college kid’s car—I’m keeping it for him until he can come get it or I bring it to him. I actually prefer the little car over the one we need to get rid of...but that car, a Mazda CX-9 was the family car, and tucked inside are all the boy smells, old French fries, bickering, and laughter that seems to linger like ghosts. The car is too big for just me now, and it’s going to need expensive work if we keep it, so it’s time to let her go.

It’s almost too much! My car and my world, letting go of both around the same time!! My spouse promises the new place will be full of fun and adventures, and exploring new places together is fun...but it’s change. He also says we are getting me a NEW CAR to replace the one I’m letting go when I turnover college kid’s car. ALSO CHANGE.

To cope with this shift in my world I’ve decided to think about possible outcomes that are good, and potential growth that will happen as a result of this big move. I firmly believe that you get back the good energy you send out so it’s time to pull away from the ‘letting go’ , and turn towards the ‘good things coming’. Thinking in a more positive way will help me get through the anxiety that’s quickly piling up...

A new (to me) home will be fun to decorate and organize. I’ll have new neighbors to meet (and avoid?) with a potential for new friends. I’ll have new places to walk the dogs and get my 10k steps. The new stores will force me to explore the area while I hunt for groceries—gotta also find the Target! Eventually I’ll also have a new car to put the dogs in and go exploring local parks to get their sniffing in. I’ll be closer to the Ocean which will add another area to go explore.

I’m beginning to accept this move. It’s part of a series of changes that I’ll be forced into, and I’ve no real say in how this happens other than understanding what my role in it is. I can resist it and cling to what I have and make myself and everyone around me miserable, or I can accept it and help the transition happen smoothly for all of us. Do I know exactly where we will live? No. Do I know that everything will be amazing once we get there? No. I do know that it’s a step up for my spouse’s career, which includes a raise, and that the assignment is a temporary one. We will be in this position again in less than 3 years.

The only thing that’s certain in life is that things change. Sometimes we choose these changes ourselves, sometimes these are made for us. This card has the person pushing forward AND the passenger. The future may be fuzzy, with things still up in the air, but facing that future head on is the only way to grow. No one really likes change, not really...but being stagnant isn’t good either. Embracing the newness and claiming your future takes trusting that the direction you are headed and the first steps you are taking, are the right ones. I’m as ready as I’ll ever be (which is not at all) and I’m comforted in knowing that I’m not alone facing all of this. I might not be as eager as my dogs with new territory to sniff and mark, but I’m not unwilling to take on this new challenge either.

All that said...i have six weeks left to say my goodbyes and do a final purge of all the things I don’t want to have to unpack on the other end. This not my first move, and it’s not the last one either. You don’t really realize how much nonessential stuff you have until you see it all in boxes. It definitely won’t fit on a raft. I wonder if the people on this card have a moving truck showing up weeks later to their new village...but that’s another story.

The hard part for me will be trusting that everything will happen exactly as it’s meant to. I have all I need to make this a successful transition. It’s time to pack up and move on.

☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️

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If you’d like a card reading, message me here or on my page. We can talk about your own strategies for taking on change. 📦 🔜🆕