Beware The Ides Of March...

Shakespeare has a toehold on all of us today. Even if you don't know what "Ides" are, or where that quote is from, I know you've heard it. And so of course it is in my mind today before I do our Daily Draw....What are we in the "ides" of, today ("ides", when applied to a month, means "middle") and where do we go from here?

March 15: Page of Coins, Daniel's Bootstrap Tarot

Well, she looks as if she is definitely "in the middle of it", doesn't she? Books, books and more books--notice that she's almost weighted down with them, and isn't looking where she is going, but posing for the camera. And the walls are covered with books, and the atmosphere is screaming, "read me! read me!" But, oddly enough, we don't see much reading being done...

The Page is the card of "getting ready", and in the suit of Coins/Pentacles, this being represents the preparation necessary to make manifest changes. So our "Marian the Librarian" is obviously interested in putting things in order so that the patrons of the library will be able to find what they need, when they need it. She also seems to care about being seen to be doing a good job. All will be there, ready in its place, for learning to take place. But I wonder when Marian herself last took time to read a book?

On the Ides of March, this card has a particular resonance. The middle of the month is a time for looking around, taking stock, and checking things out. Mid-month--are the bills paid yet? Did I actually take those books back to the library? Isn't it about time for the monthly turn-out of the basement? And oh, yeah, taxes are due in exactly one month...am I ready?

But after all, the Page is just the beginning...looking around, taking stock, is important--only if it leads to actually doing something. So that's our message for today, and that's where "beware" comes in. Too much planning sometimes eats up the energy we need to actually do the business. Today it is a mid-point, and you can check to see that all your ducks are in a row and all the books on the shelf. Make sure, on the ides of the month, that you're really ready for tomorrow...

And so, tomorrow--read one of the damn books. Do something. Get started on what you've been planning. The idea of "beware the Ides of March"...or the mid-point of anything...is a very simple one. You're in the midst of the thing. Don't get stuck there. Move on.