Mom was out to see me. I’m certain I manifested this, because I had a loaf of Povitca that I wanted to give to her and Dad. She suddenly had urge to bring me some curtains and a bedspread set. She mentioned it was almost Dad’s birthday.

“He’ll be eighty years old, Dixie. He’s eighty years old, and he wants to build another house. ” She groans and rolls her eyes. “I don’t want to build any more houses! I’m sick of building houses. I’m too old for that. He says, ‘Don’t you like the challenge?’ I don’t want challenge. I want a nap.” And Dad? He wasn’t there, because he was busy building an new storage building in the back yard.  “He’s out there with his tools and his measuring tape, piddling around. Happy as a duck in water!” That would be my dad.

Today’s Tarot is the Emperor, coming in inverted. Numbered IV of the Major Arcana, the Emperor is the Tarot’s father figure to match the Empress’s as mother. Fours in the Tarot symbolize stability, a stasis, so we can think of the Emperor as being old school. He’s ruled by Aries, so he runs the show. Sometimes this card refers to your actual father, whereas other times, it’s referring to either fatherly actions or qualities.

Since my folks don’t celebrate birthdays, I’m pretty fuzzy on theirs. I knew Dad was born in August, and thought forever he was a Leo. Until mom’s visit (and my husband pointed it out, no less), that is.

“He’s such a Virgo!” says my husband. And you know, he’s right. It also makes me wonder what other huge things I flat out missed.

My dad is a soft-spoken guy who judged every day by how much he got accomplished. He’d walk in the door, sit down at the kitchen table mom, and discuss what he’d done across coffee with Mom. If he got a lot done, he considered it a good day. If not, it wasn’t.  Work still is his middle name. He’s built several houses and remodeled more than I can count…since he’s retired. He loves to plot out buildings or figure interest rates on the back of envelopes. I can’t remember ever having any mail in the house that wasn’t covered in diagrams or numbers. If something broke, he fixed it.  He worked hard and didn’t complain about anything that I can remember.  Like, ever. He just got the job done. He was (and is) old school.

I’m a little amazed at myself, that here I could have spent my entire childhood with the quintessential Virgo and thought him a Leo, for Godsakes. That’s just funny. I guess Elsa’s got a point. And I guess I come by my Virgosity naturally. Sheesh.

Pluto in Capricorn is transiting my fifth house. My parents having moved back into town, I’m seeing them a lot more often and I’m seeing them get old. Mom keeps bringing me things because she’s paring down. They’re preparing for death. Whether it’s conscious or not—and knowing them, it probably is—doesn’t entirely matter.  I have to acknowledge they won’t be around all that much longer, in the scheme of things. While we haven’t been particularly close for a long time, I do love them. It will be a loss when the time comes. Probably a real good time now to make sure I’m solid on my “feelings about my family” processing, huh?  By and large I think I am. But sometimes that stuff gets complicated. Something can pop up and bite you in the rear that you thought was long gone.

Today, the Emperor inverted tells me to look at who my Dad is, and not who I’ve always thought him to be. He encourages me to value tradition and the stability from my childhood. The Emperor brings a quiet presence of competence, a sense of history, and an eye for the big picture. With his encouragement, I can focus on the foundation my family gave me without undue concern for areas of contention. They really aren’t all that important anyway. I’m only taking the parts I liked with me.

You got your family feelings squared away?

Mystic Dreamer Tarot (Book & Cards) by Heidi Darras and Barbara Moore

Dig the Daily Tarot? Get a Tarot Reading with Dixie via Email or Phone.