Competition—or Co-operation?
When I was growing up, sports was never my thing. I remember, one day in gym class, looking around at the jocks who were really into the game, and realizing that I just wasn’t a competitive guy. I didn’t have that streak.
Our Tarot card for today, the 5 of Wands, makes me think about the spirit of competition. We compete in so many ways, it seems, in and out of sports. We have all sorts of competitions and contests we either participate in, or stand on the sidelines and watch.
We have “American Idol,” “The Voice,” “The American Race,” “Dancing with the Stars,” even “The Bachelor” and “The Bachelorette.” And more show up on our TV screens all the time.
We compete in our jobs and careers. I remember my corporate days, when it seemed like we were competing to get promoted and move up the managerial ladder. We would be placed on the “finalists list” and then wonder who would be crowned the next manager when a spot opened up.
We compete in our neighborhoods. I remember when it was called “Keeping up with the Joneses.” It still happens; in my subdivision, it shows up in the subtle “Best Yard of the Month” contest.
It seems like everything is designed for us to try and stand out from the crowd, break out from the pack, and to be “Number One.”
Even though I don’t consider myself competitive, in the athletic sense, I know I’ve gotten caught up in the spirit of competition. For me, I realized it when I found I was comparing myself to others. And, sometimes, I wanted to one-up them. Not in an in-your-face, confrontational way, but it was there.
But here’s something else I see in the 5 of Wands, particularly in this version by Robin Wood: On one hand, it could look like our five guys are competing. On the other hand, it could also look like they are working together—in the spirit of co-operation—to form a star with their wands. A star is a symbol of a goal. So the card can mean working together toward a common goal.
Like all things in life, it’s a matter of perception. And perception becomes reality.
So, as you go through your day today, playing in the Game of Life, which spirit will you team up with: competition or co-operation?
