Weekly Forecast: January 24-30
The past two weeks have been a period of hard work during which we’ve contended with a lot: internal struggles, the sometimes-prickly emergence of new ideas, external difficulties, and unfortunate timing. It’s no wonder we’re feeling ragged around the edges or just plain burnt out. And, in complete honesty, I was gritting my teeth ever so slightly when turning over the cards for this week - was I going to have to wrestle with another unruly group of cards?
Spinning into something wonderful: The Wheel of Fortune / Temperance / Nine of Pentacles
Riding a cosmic reshuffle to abundance
The past two weeks have been a period of hard work during which we’ve contended with a lot: internal struggles, the sometimes-prickly emergence of new ideas, external difficulties, and unfortunate timing. It’s no wonder we’re feeling ragged around the edges or just plain burnt out. And, let’s be real, I was gritting my teeth ever so slightly when turning over the cards for this week - would we really still be plodding through some rough terrain?
Fortunately, we have a complete shift in the energetic weather pattern that’s been dominating the past few weeks. Oh, am I happy to type that sentence! Not one, but two Major Arcana cards arrive to show us a new focus in the collective energy, and one of them is the actual patron card of change itself: The Wheel of Fortune.
Looking at this card often throws people off their game. A cloudy sky chock full of esoteric symbols? It’s often met with a great big “huh?” and for good reason. Sometimes tarot cards evoke the very feeling that reflects their meaning. With The Wheel of Fortune we see a new wind blowing, and it’s blowing in a bunch of exciting and confusing stuff. We’re meant to be thrown off our game, at a loss for words, and maybe a little bit lost. Right now that may be just what we need.
Have you been feeling like your nose has been so close to the grindstone it’s just about ground off? So tired of working it feels like you’re sleepwalking through work, just doing the motions? Going from this energy to wide-open possibility, shockingly new ideas and situations (with a little bit of cheeky chaos thrown in for good measure) can be extremely overwhelming and destabilizing. It’ll be important to remember that we’ve been craving destabilization. Once we finally have it, we may want to crawl back into our familiar routines, yet our next two cards show us just how much we can do with the surprises popping up this week.
A classic interpretation of The Wheel of Fortune has to do with positioning. When life gives you change where do you place yourself? At the edge, far from your stable core, so that you’re flung to and fro? Or in the center where you can remain still and observe? Keep this in mind as life comes at you in the beginning of this week. We don’t have to make sense of all the wildness immediately, and I have a sense that there’s a lot of enjoyment we can find in the shake-up. Find your position and enjoy the ride.
The Wheel of Fortune spins us out, dazed and dizzy, at the feet of Temperance, a deeply wise card and the second Major Arcana in our reading. Did we need a playful shake to restart? This is a week to embrace newness, strange coincidences, and odd opportunities, for Temperance shows us coming into our own. This card presents us with a strong and nourishing image of self-knowledge. How have we embraced or endured change recently? What has it taught us about ourselves? And how have we chosen to stay true to ourselves no matter how fast the world is spinning by?
I like how these cards compliment each other; there’s a beautiful sense of effortlessness, but not the kind that comes from laziness. Playing our cards right when the world is constantly changing requires an immense amount of focus and poise. We have the opportunity to excel this week, both because the conditions are (finally, in some cases) right and because we’ve been working hard to shore up our skills and strength. Stay alert for where your purpose is aligning with your actions and opportunities. There may be surprising paths and connections appearing out of the blue.
So, if the winds of change are blowing and we’re becoming more in touch with our deeper purpose, where does that lead us? The Nine of Pentacles concludes our reading with a heartening message: we can be both wise and abundant. Who would’ve thought? And perhaps our trip through the dizzying chaos of The Wheel of Fortune has given us newfound appreciation for our special selves, all the talents and reservoirs of insight and grit we bring to life. This card invites us to celebrate in the real world - look around with gratitude at what you’ve built, feather your nest with sustainability (and a healthy pinch of decadence) in mind, and share what you have with trusted friends, family, and community members. Coming home is key when the wild world keeps spinning on. We have more stories to tell, achievements to cherish, and practice at being wise, resilient, and caring no matter what happens.
This week, embrace
Spontaneity and innovation
Accepting new offers, invitations, or projects
Change
Going with what flows
Connecting with your highest, wise self while navigating change, busyness, upheaval
Enjoying your creature comforts
Sharing with trusted others
This week, avoid
Being a stickler for details, perfectionism
Overloading on outside information, the opinions of others
Get creative
The Wheel of Fortune: Jump on the wheel yourself and channel some of this wild energy! Spend some time writing or envisioning what change you crave, especially if it doesn’t seem realistic. Dream big, get loopy, and enjoy yourself. And, if you’d like, see if there are any seeds that could grow into these changes apparent in your life right now.
Temperance: Use this card as a talisman when things start to feel overwhelming. What wisdom has brought you to this moment? Like The Wheel of Fortune, Temerpance shows us the magic of forces we don’t entirely understand. What in you is magical, ineffable, and always guiding you towards something nourishing and important? A question to ponder: What voice has emerged in the most important decisions of my life, the biggest challenges, and pivotal crossroads? How can I listen to it more?
Nine of Pentacles: Ground this energy in the real world with the down-to-earth pentacles. Find an object - either something you own or a special something you can gift yourself - and take a moment to consecrate it (you can go big if you’re into rituals, otherwise a quiet moment of reflection and intention work wonderfully). Place this object in a prominent spot in your home (or wear/transport it with you it, if possible) and think of how you give yourself stability and abundance.
Weekly Forecast: October 21-27
I love how this week's forecast is giving us a clear choice between mindful, embodied action and a frenzied action that leads to over-extending ourselves. Yes, you read the cards right: Temperance is urging us to find peace in the practice of the Two of Pentacles rather than the wild, unfocused careening of the Five of Wands.
I love how this week's forecast is giving us a clear choice between mindful, embodied action and a frenzied action that leads to over-extending ourselves. Yes, you read the cards right: Temperance is urging us to find peace in the practice of the Two of Pentacles rather than the wild, unfocused careening of the Five of Wands.
Speaking to the elements at work, this is a week to ground ourselves in the wisdom of earth, staying close to our physical and material needs. Getting caught up in the world of fire and ambition is only leading to conflict and chaos.
Temperance can be a challenging card to work with; sometimes the angelic imagery seems unattainable and even haughty. Yet this week we're being asked to see how our higher self directs us towards healthy actions. What guiding instincts lead us to care for ourselves? How can thinking simply and focusing on actionable steps bring us closer to the divine?
Temperance also straddles these two worlds. You'll notice the angel has one foot dipped into the water and the other stabilized on the earth itself. Care and simple commitment to what we need to do in our everyday lives can be surprisingly transcendent. Let's see what this awareness brings to the surface this week.
The wands here are giving us a word of caution. While it's lovely to think we'll sashay into the embodied path of Temperance & the Two of Pentacles, the Five of Wands alerts us to an internal battle of sorts. Are we pretending or wishing we could just push forward and fill our time with action? Is there something threatening about keeping things simple and in the moment?
The wands are often emblematic of our society's obsession with productivity and accomplishment. Having the conflict-theme five in our reading is straightforward tarot-speak for "just chill out, please."
How might our desire to stay busy and keep striving be hindering us right now? What happens when we slow down and just focus on baby steps? And, most importantly, how does doing this distance us from our higher-self and Temperance nature?
I see this reading as an invitation to open up to the wonder and healing of being in the moment, particularly in our mundane lives. Looking to the jovial dance of the Two of Pentacles we can ask ourselves, "How am I doing something beautiful, transcendent, and joyful when I stay close to my own experience and actual, lived life?"
Weekly Forecast: September 2-8
What does mastery look like?
In tarot we often assume that it's embodied, at least in the everyday realm, by a King or Queen. After all, these archetypes are rulers. They're in charge, at the to of their game.
What does mastery look like?
In tarot we often assume that it's embodied, at least in the everyday realm, by a King or Queen. After all, these archetypes are rulers. They're in charge, at the to of their game.
Being in that place, however, can be complex - fraught with pressure, perfectionism, and responsibility. This week, we're being asked to step away from these assumptions of power and play around in the middle ground.
The operative question is: What if what we're doing is perfect simply because it's what we're doing right now?
And, to dive a bit deeper, what if we're showing our mastery by rising to each challenge with a fresh mind, a sense of humor, and the humble ego of a beginner? Like, for example, the Page of Pentacles.
If we've been feeling the pressure of performance and perfectionism, it's time to step aside and see how that stance has been hobbling our work, creativity, and unique perspective. What I love most about these cards is how the youthful and new Two of Wands and Page of Pentacles are preceded by the next-level mature Temperance. Maturity and mastery may not be as stodgy and pressure-filled as we imagine. What we're doing right now is actually advanced, brave, and refreshingly open-minded.
So, it's a time to give ourselves all the patience and credit for proceeding imperfectly, without the utter certainty we might think we need. It's also, to be blunt, a time to chill out. Temperance shows us how balance in the different areas in our life is essential to our success and well-being.
What opportunities can we find in learning, planning, navigating new opportunities, and simply continuing along our current path? There's room for relaxation, play, innovation, and whatever else we may be craving to bring balance and freedom into our lives
Weekly Forecast: July 15-21
What does it mean to give ourselves the space we need to heal?
We often think of isolation or solitude when it comes to nursing our emotional wounds. Indeed, this approach can be helpful. In seeking to retreat from the confusion of the outside world we can better see what needs care and attention.
What does it mean to give ourselves the space we need to heal?
We often think of isolation or solitude when it comes to nursing our emotional wounds. Indeed, this approach can be helpful. In seeking to retreat from the confusion of the outside world we can better see what needs care and attention.
But isolation and stagnation can quickly spring from this approach when it's taken too far, which is why we have Temperance in the center of our reading. This week, it seems, we're processing some painful experiences through the Three of Swords. Instead of retreating, however, we're being invited to usher in the freeing energy of the Four of Wands.
Sometimes the Three of Swords can bring up feelings of fear: What if we're walking towards needless pain and suffering? I've found, however, that this card usually refers to past wounds being awakened through present experiences. A hand brushing against a bruised area.
With Temperance at the center we have a particularly empowering stance. How can we use our adult wisdom to channel the initial discomfort of the Three of Swords into something else?
There's a fascinating interplay here - difficulty inspiring motion. It's not the tired idea of having to suffer for art, or struggle equaling value. Rather, we're being asked to take our challenges and old wounds and move with them, seeing if they have anything else to say.
Which brings us to the Four of Wands. In tarot, these cards speak to structure, but the Four of Wands has a very iconoclastic take on the concept. It is, you might say, minimal: What is the minimal amount of guidance and stability we need to flourish?
In the Four of Wands we see creativity, joyful expression, experimentation, and community. How can we balance and blend this with the energies of the Three of Swords?
Some things that come to mind: Breaking out of our exclusively solitary mode of healing, bringing insouciant energy to old limiting ideas, making art from past traumas, going to the gym after a good crying session.. I think you get the point.
With Temperance in the center we're in an excellent position to play with all of these techniques and then some. Choosing to peer into the intersection of creativity and struggle will be quite rewarding. And it might uncover a far more uplifting facet to our already familiar struggles.
Weekly Forecast: March 12-18
This week is bursting with transformative cards. We have a unique opportunity to look at the world with balanced passion. Yes, all the energizing and seductive energy of The Lovers is here in spades, perfectly matched with the flowing contemplation of Temperance.
Starting with two majors shows us that we're entering into the week with a boost of energy. Beneath the surface of our daily lives we've been working through some important personal growth that's now shining through quite brightly. Look for a clarifying feeling that places you and your needs front and center.
There's an important theme here of rediscovering our role as the protagonist of our own life. This can be easy to forget as we rush around doing what needs to be done in our daily lives. All the crossing of t's and dotting of i's can take us outside of ourselves. It's that feeling when the "to do" list becomes too long and action eclipses who we really are. Life boils down to a series of tasks instead of a winding adventure.
Now we're snapping back to a bigger perspective in a way that might initially be jarring. Suddenly we see The Lovers, a striking card. We've been missing a mythical quality in our lives. Now that it's here we might fight against it. Isn't it wishful thinking? Are we being fanciful? Can life really feel this way?
Not all the time, of course. We know this because we're not always traipsing around on quests or bursting with poetry. Yet we need the meaning and excitement of romance to remind ourselves that we're more than our actions and obligations. Fighting this energy in the name of being practical is actually wildly impractical. As we'll see later, the impassioned nature of The Lovers is urging us towards the finish line of an important task.
The Lovers isn't just about love. As a Major Arcana card it speaks to romance on many levels, not just the interpersonal or erotic. If we take this energy as overarching and essential, we can find love and passion in so many things. It's the spice that makes every dish sing, the feeling that elevates the mundane to the cosmic, and the creativity that finds poetry everywhere it looks.
This is a time to embrace the transformative magic of love, whether it's in an actual relationship or through a more universal life outlook. In fact, I'd urge you to expand the reach of your love towards all parts of your life, even if you are in a magnificently satisfying union. The Lovers asks us to see the importance of our life through the lens of love. With the balancing nature of Temperance front and center here, we don't run the risk of over-sentimentality or distraction. In fact, feeling our infatuations is showing us how important things are and how essential it is to follow our pleasures.
The Lovers also deals with choice and I see this card as encouraging us to use our romantic imaginations to engage with a decision we're facing. This card asks us to think big and to take our paths seriously. Shrinking from the visionary nature of our dreams won't do us any favors. If you were to write this choice in the style of an impassioned fairytale or dramatic young adult novel how would each option sound to you? Using these types of exercises - embracing our imagination and desire - is helping us to create clarity and re-frame our lives as truly and deeply important.
Temperance is showing up next to The Lovers as a friendly reminder that we can navigate this burst of energy with equanimity and wisdom. We won't get swept away with this creative thinking because we're balanced astutely between feeling and doing, imagining and living. We have experience. And we might even need the heightened expression and emotion of The Lovers to tip us back into equilibrium. We might be being too practical for our own goods here.
The Six of Wands tops off this reading as a very pointed and affirming answer to our experience of The Lovers and Temperance. The experience of infusing the everyday with the passionate is paying off, practically speaking. We're poised to find an important sense of direction by opening up to The Lover's energy and it's directing us towards a major creative breakthrough. Choosing between our options with the guidance of The Lovers in mind is directing us towards accomplishment and acknowledgment. Living passionately is fueling our growth, pushing us towards the spotlight and a deeper sense of our path.
Weekly Forecast: September 18-24
Well isn't this interesting! This reading is almost identical to last week's. Temperance continues to hold its ground as the middle card, the Queen of Wands has moved to the final position, and the Five of Pentacles has been replaced by the Five of Swords.
Beyond the sychronicity, what does this shuffle mean?
The cards are showing us in their magical way that we're continuing last week's journey in getting to know our personal power. And we've done well. The Queen of Wands has shifted from frist to last position, telling us that we were able to embrace some of her qualities. Now we're being asked to further our understanding of this card and what it means for our self-esteem and ambition.
The new factor? We've shifted our sticky spot from the material concerns of the pentacles to the mental challenges of the swords. Somewhere along the way we got tempted to take some shortcuts, perhaps getting carried away by the authority represented in the Queen of Wands.
It's one thing to be confident, and it's an entirely different thing to think you're right all the time. And oh how tempting and easy it is to fall into this trap! How many popular images of power involve being omniscient and completely sure of oneself all the time? The Five of Swords depicts moments when we dig in an defend our thoughts and beliefs with no holds barred. We're righteous and fearsome in our convictions. What's more, we think that in defending them we're doing everyone else a favor.
What happens in this situation? While me might feel victorious initially - just look at how eloquently and passionately we stated our opinions! - when the dust settles we realize that we've left a wake of bruised egos and hurt feelings. Our passion came across as bluntness, maybe even rudeness. Our conviction came across as steamrolling. Unsurprisingly, we find ourselves isolated and confused.
This is a key moment in digging deeper into the meaning of the Queen of Wands. Being right isn't enough, and being authoritative isn't enough either. Without wisdom and good judgment our actions can get out of hand and destroy the goodwill we might think we've been cultivating.
The stance of the Five of Swords also hides a layer of fear. While we might think we sound convinced of our opinions, the way we're expressing them tells a different story. Needing to be right shows a discomfort with complexity. Dismissing others' opinions shows insecurity and fear of losing power.
This is part of the process, though it may seem messy and harsh. We're really in a period of learning and assimilation and we're pretending to have mastered everything already. This is very, very human.
Temperance shows up once again to tell us to take it slow. I can't think of a better card to lovingly direct us towards an easier, balanced path. We can't assume we know it all and the fact that we have a long way to go is exciting instead of deflating. Maintaining the stance of the Five of Swords is lonely. Our lesson now is to take a step back, balance our passion with compassion, and see how we can learn to lead with a sense of service and connection instead of commandeering power.
We end up back at the Queen of Wands with a new undertanding of her authority. The snake depicted in Kim Krans's version of this card is a poignant and helpful image for this moment. We see the Queen stripped down to her most basic way of being, coiled around her precious eggs and single wand, a mass of potential waiting to strike. If she acts and reacts like the Five of Swords, striking out randomly and with wild abandon, not only will she leave a wake of desruction but she'll quickly become exhausted, leaving her potential unguarded.
This Queen knows that she doesn't need to be constantly demonstrating her power. Her glistening coils and beautiful scales are enough. Anyone looking at her knows her strength and what she's capable of. And they respect her without having to get bitten first. Here we're being asked to rest in our confidence and self-knowledge. We are enough as we are and we must conserve our energy for what really matters. In doing this we open ourselves to a world of possibilities and embody a more positive, humane version of leadership.
Weekly Forecast: September 11-17
It's easy to be confident when things are running smoothly, and they most certainly are this week. We find ourselves placed squarely in the realm of the Queen of Wands, the dynamic, charismatic, and forthright ruler of the fiery suite. Alluring and preternaturally capable, her energy has us humming along at the peak of our powers.
I can feel it here in the crispness of the air in the morning - a feeling that instantly energizes me when I wake up. I don't have to struggle to peel myself from under my comforter while rain pours down outside or turn up the air conditioning to fight off the humidity. Similarly, our weather conditions for success are prime. Work flows effortlessly and we have a shine about us that's proving irresistable to others.
To use an autumnal metaphor, let's make hay while the sun's shining. It would be foolish to fight against these gifts. Run with them instead. We'll be able to present ourselves clearly and with passion, set healthy boundaries, and, quite simply, get a lot done. This is also a wonderful chance to notice how it feels to occupy this role. The Queen of Wands can't help but be seen in all her glory. What does it feel like when we're broadcasting our strengths and accomplishments without self-depracation or the protection of excessive modesty? Take note and don't fight it.
Because, as we all know simply be being humans in the world, conditions can change fast. At the end of the week we'll be challenged with a somewhat sticky situation. It's nothing life-changing, more of a mundane trudge that threatens to send our queenly self-perception into a tailspin.
The catch? It doesn't have to.
Temperance shows up in this reading as a heavenly mediator, bridging the joyful authority of the Queen of Wands with the earthly drudgery of the Five of Pentacles. Balance requires an adjustment period and these opposites will have us reeling a bit with their contrast. Who wants to transition from the Queen to the stark five? Our challenge is to make room for this without leting it dictate our larger story. Just because the conditions change from smooth sailing to choppy waters doesn't mean we ourselves have changed.
Temperance, with her infinite wisdom, asks us to consider how this snag can help us. It's not an easy lesson, but it does show us how easy isn't always our ally. What is a Queen who hasn't earned her reign? What are our skills if they haven't been tested with hardship or challenges?
Temperance also asks us to step outside our ego (and this is a powerful part of the Queen's personality!) and make room for mistakes and struggles. Perfection isn't our friend here and we don't need to disqualify ourselves when we're less than exceptional.
We can still be a Queen after walking through a bit of mud. In fact, it makes us all the more connected to the world itself in all its complexity.
Weekly Forecast: July 31 - August 6
This week's reading is a shiny and exciting one. When I read tarot I am very effusive. It's just my nature. And sometimes I draw a group of cards that has me saying "ooh!" before I can stop myself. This is one of them.
Aces bring an air of energy with them, the effervescent feeling of new beginnings. This week we have two: the ace of swords and the ace of pentacles.
Things have been a bit wandsy around here lately as we've been focusing on action, projects, and getting things done. It's good to kick up a little dust when we get moving, but sometimes it can gather into a dust storm, obscuring the rest of our lives and maybe even choking out some of the greenery along the way.
This week shows a radical shift in energy, a clearing of the storm to reveal a new placid yet exciting landscape that we're able to see with clear eyes. We're experiencing new thoughts, ideas, and inspirations that will be leading us to new opportunities to change our daily lives for the better. And in the meantime? Life is looking good.
When two aces show up in a reading there can be a tendency to be split in two different directions. Sometimes all the possibility can be overwhelming. Right in the center of our reading, however, we have Temperance, a beautiful card that symbolizes wisdom, calmness, and balance. It's the perfect recipe for well-informed and exhilarating decisions.
In a sense, we're being inspired by the idea or inspiration represented by the ace of swords and channeling it through the lends of Temperance. We'll be taking the space to connect with oursevles, deeply consider our values and goals, and then start to make them into reality.
There are a lot of gifts within our reach this week. Most likely they're already at work in our lives, manifesting themselves in our relationships with friends, community, and creativity. Limitations are out the window. Instead, look for inspiration and support wherever your gaze lands. We're sure to find it in many different places, some expected and some delightfully surprising.
We have a lovely, uninhibted pathway between our mental clarity and physical reality right now, making it an ideal time to channel our insights into practice. Think planting a garden and tending it gently instead of running full speed ahead. The earthiness of the ace of pentacles shows us that we're interested most in cultivating something that will sustain us and enrich our lives, not set us off on a wild, freewheeling adventure.
If you're feeling the urge to nest, embrace a new lifestyle change, or enrich your relationships, now is the perfect time. There's a lot of deep meaning to be found in the everyday this week. We're ready to link up our thinking selves with our feeling selves, a profound way to increase groundedness, well-being, and a loving relationship with who we truly are.
Embracing calmness and connection will illuminate the possibilities that have been hiding right under our noses. We're tuning into a new channel, and preparing to accept a new opportunity that's forming. And yet the newness isn't radical or foreign. It's an extension of how we are in the world and how we'd like to be, a slow unfurling from bud to blossom. Did you see the path leading out of the garden in the ace of pentacles? When the time is ripe, we'll be heading out towards a new way of supporting ourselves. Until then, we'll do best appreciating and cultivating what sustains us in our already beautiful lives.
Weekly Forecast: July 17-23
If this week has a theme it's moving from the cosmic to the practical.
We start out with the magnificant expansiveness of Ricardo Cavolo's interpretation of Temperance. The illustration does a wonderful job of opening up our ideas of balance to include all sorts of bright and beautiful possibilities. Here, balance is not about exact equality - making each side of the scale precisely the same - but the freedom that comes with living in the moment. Picture a gymnast walking across a balance beam, their ankles and feet making slight adjustments as they continue across with utter focus.
And then they launch into a stunning backflip.
That's where we are this week. Feeling a renewed sense of confidence and clarity that's fueling our ambition and desire for exploration. We're capable of great things always, but this week brings us a unique sense of alignment where our talents are free-flowing and at their best.
It's fitting then that we get a visit from the Knight of Cups, the idealistic go-getter of the tarot world. This card tells us that we're inspired by a deeper concept instead of just the action itself. External motivations like approval, success, and acceptance are all fine and dandy, but we have our eyes set on something with more meaning right now.
Is it an important cause? A beautiful insight we received when practicing the calm, centeredness of Temperance? A spiritual awakening? Identifying this seed and getting to know it will be very helpful in channeling all our energy in the days to come. Take the time to explore further so that you can charge ahead with a clear sense of direction.
If the Knights have a flaw it's one of short-sightedness, and for the Knight of Cups this comes with an idealistic twist. Ever the romantic, this card has a complicated relationship with reality. Having one's eyes to the stars can be a beautiful thing, but when you forget (or refuse to) look at the ground, things can get rocky.
There may be a tendency in the days to come to willfully or innocently avoid considering "what's on the ground," - other people, relationships, responsibilities, etc. If any cards can strike a balance between the powerful forces of idealism and practicality it's Temeprance and the Knight of Cups. A creative, beautiful, and responsible solution is ours for the taking if we put our minds to it.
And it looks like that's exctly where we're heading. The Nine of Pentacles shows us entering into a period of bountiful stability. This is where the practical really comes into focus. It looks like balance, a wider perspective, and a hanful of energetic idealism was what we needed to see a vibrant sense of well-being in our material lives. Following our hearts can lead in a materially satisfying direction if only we believe in ourselves.
Whether it's an idea coming into fruition or a literal windfall, the end of the week holds great potential for abundance and good fortune. We'll be feeling lucky and well-off and just getting started on our journey. After all, the Knight of Cups is just about to leap from his cup. Where will his energy take us next?
Before we find out, it's a wonderful time to sit back and bask in what we have at our fingertips, enjoing our lives and sharing it with our close friends and family.