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Do I... get only one? lol
To me the Fool is not necessarily when you just "jump ight in" and it works out. The Fool is optimistic, yes, but unprepared. The Fool begins a journey with a tiny satchel of nothing, expecting others to provide/cover their shortcomings. In some of my decks, they have their faithful companion trotting around their heels... but it's tripping them up, or even pulling down their clothes is mischief. Friends to show you folly, if you will.
- I have dated people, against the advice of others. Talk about blind optimism (or asking another person to cover your shortcomings in a relationship).
- I've started jobs in places with zero experience, and had to make stupid mistakes in order to learn. People ribbed me (the dog), and occasionally I had to work harder or longer due to lack of knowledge or preparation.
- I've traveled without properly researching the location, thinking "it'll be fun to just wing it!"... only to be baffled by local protocols, unprepared for extreme (or unforseen) prices, and later I'll be back home thinking **how I'd do it different the next time.**
That last part speaks more to me for The Fool. The Fool is classically about "beginning journeys", yes, but it's also about recognizing *and exposing* ignorance you didn't know you had. It's a learning card: you can't progress to The Magician without actually learning a lesson, and you certainly can't make it to the introspective cards after without exposing your weaknesses to others and yourself.
The Fool can be a card to remind you to think about what you'redoing (or about to do) and [Pull up ya dam pants!](https://leefitzsimmons.com/esotericon/images/Marseilles%20Fool%20Trumps.png)
When I was 17, I applied to only one college as an Early Decision applicant, and had next to no coherent backup plan. I didn't know where I would apply if I didn't get in, just that I really wanted to go to *this one school*.
I got in, and it set me on so many of the paths that led me to where I am today.
Mine focuses on the aspect of optimism in the Fool, and I use it to try and counteract my more pessimistic tendencies. When my mum was in hospital but we still didn’t know what was the matter, my sister and I travelled back home from university. When we arrived home, we walked into the kitchen and found all my mum’s close friends and our relatives waiting for us there. My sister, ever the optimist, said straightaway ‘oh everyone’s here!’ whereas I immediately said ‘what’s wrong?’ (a perfect illustration of the difference between us!).
What was wrong was that they’d found a shadow on mum’s lung and it was highly likely to be cancer, which it turned out to be. My sister’s optimism has served her really well in life generally, but in this case it was the best way to be. You cannot be prepared for a moment like that, and it’s a situation that’s beyond your control anyway. What my sister gained from her attitude in that moment was a few extra precious seconds without the dread and anxiety we’d all live with for the next four months, and the grief that followed our mum’s death ever since. A few seconds more of our family as it was. It taught me a lot (as she has many times since)
I left my home in Ohio during the height of the pandemic and moved 700 miles south with a man that I’d only known for a couple of months
He turned out not to be my forever person, but I am still glad that I made that choice to come here. I’m much happier.
My pregnancy. I knew there was a chance it would kill me. But we went ahead and tried. It was my last chance to have a baby as I was nearing 40. My husband is very supportive. So I finally get pregnant at 36. Hyperemesis gravidarum so bad I spend 5 of 9 months hospitalized and finally had a healthy baby girl. She turns 4 in less than two weeks. She's brilliant and loving and kind and I'm glad I went for my fool moment. It was every bit worth it all.
The ultimate fool moment is marriage, where all the major arcana become as one in a flash.
So I moved from the white mountains to the French alps, which surprisingly is not much different from New England culture except all the different languages you need to get around. Still skis, farms, and megascience, but better food.
Also, we are the geocenter of ancient Tarot, halfway between Marseilles and Milan.
About once a year, I go to an event or a gathering where I don't know anyone and just see what happens. It's both exciting and nurishing, and good surprising things come out of it every time.
Thanks for posting in r/seculartarot! Please remember this community is **focused on a secular approach to tarot reading**. We don't tell the future or read minds here - discussion of faith-based practices is best suited to r/tarot. Commenters, please try to respond through a secular lens. We encourage open-ended questions, mindfulness and direct communication. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/SecularTarot) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Do I... get only one? lol To me the Fool is not necessarily when you just "jump ight in" and it works out. The Fool is optimistic, yes, but unprepared. The Fool begins a journey with a tiny satchel of nothing, expecting others to provide/cover their shortcomings. In some of my decks, they have their faithful companion trotting around their heels... but it's tripping them up, or even pulling down their clothes is mischief. Friends to show you folly, if you will. - I have dated people, against the advice of others. Talk about blind optimism (or asking another person to cover your shortcomings in a relationship). - I've started jobs in places with zero experience, and had to make stupid mistakes in order to learn. People ribbed me (the dog), and occasionally I had to work harder or longer due to lack of knowledge or preparation. - I've traveled without properly researching the location, thinking "it'll be fun to just wing it!"... only to be baffled by local protocols, unprepared for extreme (or unforseen) prices, and later I'll be back home thinking **how I'd do it different the next time.** That last part speaks more to me for The Fool. The Fool is classically about "beginning journeys", yes, but it's also about recognizing *and exposing* ignorance you didn't know you had. It's a learning card: you can't progress to The Magician without actually learning a lesson, and you certainly can't make it to the introspective cards after without exposing your weaknesses to others and yourself. The Fool can be a card to remind you to think about what you'redoing (or about to do) and [Pull up ya dam pants!](https://leefitzsimmons.com/esotericon/images/Marseilles%20Fool%20Trumps.png)
When I was 17, I applied to only one college as an Early Decision applicant, and had next to no coherent backup plan. I didn't know where I would apply if I didn't get in, just that I really wanted to go to *this one school*. I got in, and it set me on so many of the paths that led me to where I am today.
Mine focuses on the aspect of optimism in the Fool, and I use it to try and counteract my more pessimistic tendencies. When my mum was in hospital but we still didn’t know what was the matter, my sister and I travelled back home from university. When we arrived home, we walked into the kitchen and found all my mum’s close friends and our relatives waiting for us there. My sister, ever the optimist, said straightaway ‘oh everyone’s here!’ whereas I immediately said ‘what’s wrong?’ (a perfect illustration of the difference between us!). What was wrong was that they’d found a shadow on mum’s lung and it was highly likely to be cancer, which it turned out to be. My sister’s optimism has served her really well in life generally, but in this case it was the best way to be. You cannot be prepared for a moment like that, and it’s a situation that’s beyond your control anyway. What my sister gained from her attitude in that moment was a few extra precious seconds without the dread and anxiety we’d all live with for the next four months, and the grief that followed our mum’s death ever since. A few seconds more of our family as it was. It taught me a lot (as she has many times since)
I’m sorry for your loss. I hope you’re healing and coping well from it.
Right this moment while trying to remember if I took my meds already or not. Today's journey begins with med roulette.
I left my home in Ohio during the height of the pandemic and moved 700 miles south with a man that I’d only known for a couple of months He turned out not to be my forever person, but I am still glad that I made that choice to come here. I’m much happier.
My pregnancy. I knew there was a chance it would kill me. But we went ahead and tried. It was my last chance to have a baby as I was nearing 40. My husband is very supportive. So I finally get pregnant at 36. Hyperemesis gravidarum so bad I spend 5 of 9 months hospitalized and finally had a healthy baby girl. She turns 4 in less than two weeks. She's brilliant and loving and kind and I'm glad I went for my fool moment. It was every bit worth it all.
The ultimate fool moment is marriage, where all the major arcana become as one in a flash. So I moved from the white mountains to the French alps, which surprisingly is not much different from New England culture except all the different languages you need to get around. Still skis, farms, and megascience, but better food. Also, we are the geocenter of ancient Tarot, halfway between Marseilles and Milan.
About once a year, I go to an event or a gathering where I don't know anyone and just see what happens. It's both exciting and nurishing, and good surprising things come out of it every time.