Aces symbolize beginnings, the start of something new and the seed of new growth.  Wands are associated with inspiration, energy, passion, feeling, enterprise, ambition, matters pertaining to the "spark of life", and the element of fire.  Skill; creation; the beginning of a project, enterprise, idea, or invention.  Enthusiasm; initiative; energy; the joy of life; sexual vigor; conception; a journey  Reversed:  A false or bad start; criticizing or not using one's potential; journey deferred; delays and difficulties; failure of an enterprise.  You sense the potential for creating a new self-image of self-concept.  You can privately name yourself in a new way.

The Celtic Wisdom Augury of Skill card shows the Spear of Lugh being shot into the air.  On the ground we see a man kneeling in front of a kindling set up.  He is bare-chested with a torc around his neck.  His fiery hair stands away from his head creating a halo effect.  His cloak is clasped at his neck but falls behind him.  His left hand holds a bow shaped object while his right seems to be reaching towards the spear.  The landscape  around him is covered in brilliant green grass.  Gently rolling hills meet the pale blue sky.  And in the distance we see a craggy cluster of red rocks which seem to glow orange against the day sky. 

On the Zerner-Farber Ace of Wands we see a woman's hand holding a staff aiming towards the sky.  The hand is decorated with tattoos representing growth and new life.  A dark blue flower sits at the bottom of the card housed in a pentagonal-shaped structure.  It is surrounding by swirling shades of blue and orange.  Is this is blue heart of the flame; the source of all that grows above?  On either side of this shape sit two stars that seem to have expressions on them.  The look like happy creatures preparing to dance in the sky.  The both have bright red-orange tails behind them.  Flowers grow above the starts and streamers burst forth from them perhaps indicating new growth.  At the top of the wands sits a phoenix, rebirthing itself from the flames.  Blue lightning bolts streak towards the phoenix.  Above the phoenix we see a warm orange sky filled with leaves.  The entire card symbolizes energy and growth streaking forth into the universe. 

There are two aspects of this card that seem to fit with the energies swirling through my life today.  The first is that of not using one's potential and a journey deferred.  This applies to me a bit because of my tendency to procrastinate.  However what it really reminds me of is that tragedy of wasted talent and wasted potential.  It's a theme that is woven throughout the movie A Bronx Tale and I've seen it many times in my own life with people from my neighborhood.  Today I attended the latest in an ongoing series of funerals of nice guys who died too young.  I don't know if it's unique to my neighborhood or it's symptomatic of our society, but I know so many people who've died too young that I often joke I know more dead people than I do living ones.  Many of the people I grew up around, including my father, seem to die from problems arising from drug and alcohol abuse.  Some of the people I know died young but from natural causes (cancer, heart attack, etc.).  What saddens me is that in so many instances they were decent people who never really had the chance to fulfill their potential in life.  Either because of family obligations, addictions or their own self-doubts, they never seemed to reach that pinnacle. 

In some cases they might have "peaked" in high school and never again achieved that level of success and recognition.  Others never had that moment in the sun and tried to bury whatever inner demons tormented them in drugs and alcohol.  Other might have been doing just fine until something happened that sent then into a spiral.  I'm sure the folks are know are not unique in that respect.  It's just so sad.  It also made me realize that at the end of my life, whenever that occurs, I don't want to mourn the things I didn't have the courage to do.  I don't want to feel that I wasted my talents.

So the reversed Ace of Wands is a reminder that I need to focus all the energy, growth, creativity and potential on myself.  I need to take whatever chances need to be taken and grasp at the opportunities that present themselves.  It may not be easy, but nothing worth doing every is.  And as I look back over my experiences in life I realize that the things I've learned the most from are the things I screwed up the first time.  I need to screw up my courage and grab hold of that wand and start making magic with it.

We went to the wake for our friend.  It was so sad.  It's sad that he died, but it was even sadder watching the remnants of my neighborhood come together once again to mourn the passing of a local son.  There are so few of us left anymore that even those you hated in childhood become people you're glad to see.  Hubby was standing with his friends later on in the night and it broke my heart.  One of them is very sick with lung cancer and he just matter of factly said that he'll probably be in the funeral home in a few months.  I watched these guys that used to be tough, crazy and wild just stand there talking about the fun the used to have.  Between family responsibilities and the fact that most of them don't live in the neighborhood anymore they don't get together the way they did in the past.  You could see they all realized this might be one of the last times they'd be together and that is what made me sad - watching these big guys try to hold in their grief.