Confronting the Tower – The Moment When Life Catches Up

What do you do when it all comes tumbling down – in that moment where everything you’d worked on, everything you’d thought you knew, your entire belief system, collapses? Next steps matter. You can either move on or let the weight crush you.

The last few weeks have been rough for us. The victory lap taken after our neurodivergent son entered kindergarten quickly fell upon rocky terrain. The house we’d been living in since we arrived in Germany was found to be in need emergency repairs. After two years of complaining to the landlord about cracks in the floor tile and a newly shattered floor to ceiling window we knew it was time to move on. Health issues also sprung up resulting in ER visits and a diagnosis of significant (we’ll call it) “stuff.” And while I’ll avoid jumping into a political back and forth about a broken political system, let’s agree that federal employees living in a foreign country while not getting paid and being mandated to work, is a giant pile of bullshit.

In Tarot, the card best representing times like this is The Tower. It’s a scary card depicting a large medieval tower crumbling after a surprise lightning strike as people jump from it’s windows. It is a card of destruction and sudden change. It’s also a card of learning, realignment and emancipation IF one can seize on the opportunities it presents.

My wife and I are risk-takers, often choosing the more challenging and uncertain path. We place ourselves in situations that most people would avoid. We’ve experienced fear, isolation, changes in lifestyle, and, well, sinking houses. The rewards have thus far outweighed the costs, though.

We’ve stood at the foot of The Tower before, shaken and stirred, but we know what comes next, The Star – renewal, hope, faith, and purpose. We also know that we stood and faced the storms together in a beautiful new place, received the required medical treatment and move forward strengthened by our little family. 

I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it again. Take care of your people. Check in often. Say “HI” to a stranger. Your simple kindness may save a live today.