![\"Three](\"https:\/\/si.keen.com\/d1_threeofswords_v1.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nWhen Shakespeare wrote \u201cThe course of true love never did run smooth,\u201d he was speaking as Lysander, one of the star-crossed lovers in A Midsummer Night\u2019s Dream<\/em><\/a>, a tale of affection misplaced and destiny delayed, of jealousy and comic revenge. In this play, even couples who possess the courage to follow their passions in the face of staunch opposition find themselves entangled in a web of magical forces over which they have no control.<\/p>\n In an instant, a spell transforms undying love into cruel indifference, and awful dread into unquenchable desire. Of course, by the last act, all is made right and harmony is restored. Each partner is perfectly paired with their own true love, just in time to ensure the closure of a happy ending. . . but only as a result of supernatural intervention as imagined by a brilliant playwright, of course.\u00a0<\/p>\n Even today, many people seem to feel that when it comes to love, the cards are stacked against them, like some mischievous playwright is playing havoc with their relationships. When love eludes them, they write it off as fate, never realizing that while fate may be the highway we\u2019re all riding on, we don\u2019t have to take a passive role and let someone else drive our car for us, but when Belinda came for a reading not long ago, she seemed to have \u201cpassenger\u201d written all over her.<\/p>\n In the Passenger Seat<\/strong><\/p>\n At our first meeting, Belinda confessed that when it came to meeting quality men, her radar was rarely working properly. She told me she\u2019d wasted more time on ne\u2019er-do-wells than she cared to admit, and had passed by some truly awesome guys for what later turned out to be all the wrong reasons. Now, at the age of 31, she was beginning to wonder if she\u2019d ever get it right.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, let\u2019s see,\u201d I told her, handing her the deck. \u201cSelect a card that you think best represents your luck in love.\u201d It only took her a few seconds to pull out the Three of Swords<\/a>. \u201cInteresting,\u201d I mused. \u201cNow, pull a card to represent your ideal romance.\u201d I could see she was torn between The Lovers<\/a> and the Ace of Cups<\/a>, but after a moment\u2019s hesitation, the Ace won out.<\/p>\n \u201cTough decision?\u201d I asked as she handed me the card.<\/p>\n She nodded yes. \u201cBut it can\u2019t be The Lovers,\u201d she said, \u201cWith my luck, I\u2019d finally find the love of my life, and then trip over the serpent and get tossed out of the Garden of Eden.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe Lovers wouldn\u2019t have been a bad choice, but it is the obvious one, and I don\u2019t think concentrating on bringing that energy into your life would give what you\u2019re really looking for,\u201d I explained. \u201cPhysical attraction is one of the most seductive forces on earth, and there\u2019s certainly a time and place to indulge in passion, but since you say you\u2019re looking for someone who can be in it for the long haul, to me, the Ace of Cups is a more appropriate choice. It means you\u2019re hoping to pursue romance with your head clear, eyes open, as an adult.\u201d<\/p>\n Belinda smiled, eager to hear what might be next up on her romantic menu. But first we had to take a step back, and consider the other card she\u2019d selected.<\/p>\n \u201cThis<\/em> card, on the other hand,\u201d I said, laying the Three of Swords on the table, \u201ctells me that as hopeful as you are, you may not be entirely done sabotaging yourself in the love department. To me, this card indicates that you see yourself as a victim. It\u2019s as if you believe that everyone will eventually hurt you, rather than taking responsibility for allowing them to do so. You make poor choices, but they get the blame.\u201d<\/p>\n It\u2019s Up to You<\/strong><\/p>\n I could see that had given her something to think about. \u201cAlright, now let\u2019s do a little experiment,\u201d I told her. \u201cConcentrate on the Three of Swords and imagine if you maintain this mindset, what your future will have in store.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n After a moment of shuffling the deck, I pulled a card for her. The Four of Pentacles<\/a>. \u201cThis is someone who is shut down, alone, with his back to the world,\u201d I told her. \u201cHe\u2019s clutching his resources to himself so tightly and he\u2019s so frozen by fear of losing the little he has left, he\u2019s unable to move.\u201d<\/p>\n That got her attention.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t worry–it\u2019s just a warning,\u201d I assured her. \u201cIt doesn\u2019t have to be your future.\u201d I handed her the Ace of Cups, and said, \u201cNow, let\u2019s concentrate on bringing this force into your life. I want you to imagine being open to a world of possibility, but without being reckless.\u201d \u00a0If Belinda truly wanted to arrive at her desired romantic destination, she\u2019d need to keep her eyes open, remember to mind the road, put on her seatbelt, and not to get sidetracked by things that might distract her.<\/p>\n After a bit of mutual concentration, I pulled a card for her. The Page of Cups<\/a>. I have to say, this card always makes me smile. In it, a cheerful young man holds a golden chalice in his hand, from which a fish has just popped out its head. To me, they appear to be engaged in rapt, if unexpected, conversation.<\/p>\n \u201cWell,\u201d Belinda asked, \u201cwhat\u2019s the verdict?\u201d<\/p>\n I asked her if she was familiar with Grimm\u2019s fairy tale, \u201cThe Frog Prince<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cUgh! Another toad? Don\u2019t you think I\u2019ve kissed enough slimeballs?\u201d she sighed, exasperated.<\/p>\n \u201cThe point of the story is that you can kiss all the frogs in the world and never find a prince,\u201d I told her, \u201cbut if you\u2019re willing to see beyond the superficial and follow through, rather than fall victim, the next frog\u2014or in this case, fish out of water\u2014that shows up in your life, might prove to have tremendous potential for a real romance. I know old habits can be hard to break, but if someone out of your usual comfort zone approaches you, at least think about giving him a chance?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know if I will,\u201d she replied honestly, as she got up to go. \u201cBut I hope I can.\u201d<\/p>\n Cooking Up Romance<\/strong><\/p>\n The next time I spoke with Belinda, she told me that she\u2019d been doing her best to concentrate on the things we\u2019d discussed, and that a few weeks after our session, she\u2019d actually met a man named Mark in a culinary class she\u2019s signed up for. \u201cHe seemed sweet, but he was a total goofball. Definitely not my type,\u201d she recalled. \u201cIt was painfully obvious that he didn\u2019t know a thing about cooking, so I couldn\u2019t help asking what he was doing there.\u201d<\/p>\n Mark admitted his ex had signed him up for the course, \u201cHoping to improve me,\u201d he\u2019d told her, and he figured since the money was spent, and he was on his own, maybe learning to prepare something besides Mac & Cheese might be in his best interest. \u201cI feel like a real fish out of water,\u201d he\u2019d confessed with a self-deprecating laugh.<\/p>\n Belinda said at that moment, a little bell went off in her head. \u201cI promised I\u2019d keep an eye on him and help him out all that I could,\u201d she told me, smiling shyly. \u201cAnd after a few classes, when he asked if he could return the favor by taking me out to dinner, I didn\u2019t say no.\u201d<\/p>\n Belinda and Mark have only had a few dates so far, and she hasn\u2019t decided whether or not this particular \u201cfish out of water\u201d is going to be a keeper. She says, however, that at least by taking responsibility for her choices and keeping her eyes open when it comes to romance, she\u2019s finally stopped feeling like a passenger in The Comedy of Errors<\/em><\/a>, and for once, she\u2019s really in the driver\u2019s seat, hopefully heading for a destination where All\u2019s Well that Ends Well<\/em><\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n If you feel like you\u2019ve lost control on the rocky road to love, a trained KEEN advisor<\/a> can help you get back in gear and rolling in the right direction.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" When Shakespeare wrote \u201cThe course of true love never did run smooth,\u201d he was speaking as Lysander, one of the star-crossed lovers in A Midsummer Night\u2019s Dream, a tale of affection misplaced and destiny delayed, of jealousy and comic revenge. In this play, even couples who possess the courage to follow their passions in the …<\/p>\n