June 2026
A young man steps out towards a cliff. He is blissfully unaware of his fate. Will he fall? He carries a white flower in one hand and a traveling knapsack on a stick in the other. Peaks of snowcapped mountains fill the background. A white dog is playfully jumping at his feet and the sun is shining brightly in the sky.
The Fool is the first card in the Major Arcana of The Tarot. It is card "0" the beginning and also the end of a journey. Nothing has transpired yet, but he has set out on his path. To where? No one really knows.
In traditional playing cards this is also the Joker. A special card. One with either no value or all the value depending on the game you are playing.
He is ignorant, but not necessarily in the bad way. He just doesn't know what to expect and is gleefully going in blind. His companion the little white dog accompanies him on the journey. The dog is symbolic of fidelity and loyalty. The first friend on the journey. Most likely, there will be many more along the way.
The yellow in the card symbolizes its positive auspiciousness. This is a card of new beginnings. Of trusting one's instincts. Of breaking free and forging a new path.
Despite what you may think about the tarot. Its validity, its magic, its symbolism. It is interesting to think about what the card addresses.
I have started such a journey. I have moved a far distance from my former home in Ohio to Turkey. I have begun a life journey I could only dream about in the past. Moving beyond my comfort zone and upbringing. Gleefully moving towards my new path in life.
To say I am excited would be an understatement. Like The Fool, I am ignorant of what the future may hold. I am optimistic, but I am also slightly fearful. The world feels completely open, but one wrong step could put me in the wrong direction. There are so many options.
I am facing a journey with so many new opportunities. A new job, a new home, a new language. What an exciting prospect, but also very daunting. There is so much to look forward to, but also so many potential foibles. I have to approach those with grace.
With time I will move forward on my journey. For now I have just begun. I must remind myself this anticipation and joy I am feeling is normal, but also fleeting. Like all great stories I will move through different stages.
When that time comes I will pull my next card.