17/11 Three of Swords, Joshua

galadrial

Graham's booklet says: "Joshua hurts deep inside because his partner has left him with a broken heart but he suffers in silence. He seeks comfort from two of the Labyrinth cats, but they cannot mend his broken heart. So, finally Joshua lays his heart on the table and begins to talk.
Divinitory Meaning: The Three of Sword reminds us of how important it is to communicate when suffering, before the pain turns to resentment.
Reverse Meaning: Stopping yourself from crying, self-inflicted pain, repressing emotion."

This is the very picture of my 16 year old son. He does indeed seek comfort from our sweet cat, but when it is too much for him, he will come to me and talk about his problems; his heart on the table with current problems, his old problems in his mind, stitched and nearly healed, but the scars still there. I can actually feel my face assuming a caring, sympathetic look as I gaze at Joshua across the table from me in this card. It's hard to not be able to make the problems go away, but it is some comfort to know that offering attention and empathy, to really listen without judgement, are sometimes all he needs to be able to reassume command (I like the purple outfit with the epaulets; it makes me think that he is normally in command of himself, and will be again once his feelings have been aired to someone who cares).
 

Molly

I like the uniform as well. What it made me think of was how sometimes the most stoic of people have the deepest hurts that they conceal. Like, we can't always just a book by a cover... the people that seem rough, abrasive, "in command," my be holding a broken heart that hasn't yet been repaired. Also, I LOVE the kind compassionate cats. It made me laugh when I saw they continued my theme, in that they appear to petting him (the cats doing the petting, instead of the other way around)... I felt that was a good reminder that the help we need can come from unexpected corners.
 

lark

Used this deck this weekend for readings. This card came up two times in two different readings. Both times I was lead to say "You can't have children but you have filled your life with something else that is a comfort to you." It was true in both cases, one had taken in a little foster daughter and the other had a house full of dogs that she adored. Learned alot from this card and I was so happy and surprised to see it picked today! Namaste