There’s been huge uproar online in the last few days over the

message a British mum sent a friend who’d hosted her daughter for a playdate.

This is the message…

Clearly a ridiculous request. I’d file this under…

Page of Swords Reversed: An ill-advised message

First of all…

Five of Pentacles: Poverty

Not everyone would have the resources to comply with this request.

Secondly…

The Lovers: Choice

It was her responsibility to choose appropriate footwear, not the supervising parent.

Because everyone knows…

Five of Wands: Competing demands

No-one has time to watch children every single second during a playdate.

However, as soon as I read this story I knew the woman would be subjected to horrendous abuse. Because the online news cycle works like this…

The Fool Reversed: Being ridiculous

Someone puts a foot wrong and then…

Judgement Reversed: Judging others

Everyone who’s ever felt wronged comes out of the woodwork and the worst part of it is…

Five of Swords: Cutting remarks

They express their disapproval in the most biting vicious terms because…

Three of Cups: Old hurts

The situation has touched the hurt in their own hearts and…

Four of Swords Reversed: Feeling protected

Keyboard warriors feel protected from retaliation behind their screens.

However…

Two of Pentacles: Having it both ways

Some peeps will inevitably express regret over the outrage – that they may or may not have participated in. I’ve certainly seen news sites regularly condemn a perpetrator, only to turn around and condemn the abuse in equal measure.

And then…

Wheel of Fortune: Continuous cycle

The whole sequence starts over again with the next person to put a foot wrong.

It’s sad and awful and nothing seems able to be done about it. There’s not enough of this…

The Tower: Self-awareness

An understanding that in raging against this woman, the punishment we dole out will far outweigh the crime. And anyway, who are we to cast stones?

Victims of online abuse can become…

Ten of Swords: Depression

Permanently damaged psychologically.

It’s important to note that this damage isn’t the result of disagreement, but in the manner it’s expressed.

We need to always keep this in mind.

Judgement: Compassion

Judgement’s place as the penultimate card in Tarot signifies it’s incredible power. The need to tread carefully. It should always be delivered with compassion.

Thoughts?