The Hit List - The torn tarot card

There it was, staring me in the face. That tiny tear on my King of Cups card. While this didn’t amount to major damage, I didn’t like the way it looked. Although I prefer flawless cards with gilded edges, this was my “workhorse” deck, so it got more wear and tear than the other ones that are carefully boxed away, free from grimy hands and careless shuffles.

I’d like to say that I ignored this torn tarot card and went on to deliver great readings. Instead, I found myself fixating on that imperfection every time I saw it. If I laid the cards facedown on the table, that ripped edge said, “Oh look, it’s the King of Cups again!” There was no element of surprise.

If I needed to choose a card randomly, I would see the tear and avoid it. Because now it didn’t feel random. Even though the card was positive, I started to dread seeing it.

It didn’t take long for the damage to get worse. In time, it became harder to shuffle because the edge became rough.

So I decided to buy another copy of the deck and exchange the card for a new one. I know that sounds stupid, but I happened to like the way this particular deck worked. It was well-seasoned and read like a dream, even though it was a standard Rider Waite Smith.

Once the new deck arrived, I thumbed through and found my King of Cups. The replacement was ready to do the work! Except…the new card looked too new. Which meant it stuck out like a sore King. Now that King of Cups seemed to be lit up like a sign on Times Square – and I couldn’t ignore it.

It was time to admit the truth: the deck was done. The torn tarot card had seen better days, and it was wrecking the vibe of the other cards.

I’m sad to say there was no ceremony to say goodbye. It simply went where all the other decks with missing or damaged cards went: into my craft drawer where I would find new uses for it. Because sometimes, no matter how much you love that one thing, you gotta know when to say goodbye.

Goodbye, King of Cups.

xo
Theresa

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