It's obvious to us that not all stories end happily, but it's equally important to remember that in life, unlike in Hollywood films, most of our narratives don't have endings at all. At best there are resolutions to the conflicts and difficult situations that are inevitably a part of our experience. Even those resolutions are frequently unresolved way stations in our journey toward the future (and in the time/space continuum of quantum physics, past, present, and future may all exist simultaneously, which is one possible explanation of the Tarot's efficacy).
I heard Jason's story (not his real name) on a radio broadcast a few days ago, and when I saw this spread yesterday evening I knew instantly who it was talking about. Jason is a young man who was deeply conflicted in the past, uncertain about his values and the direction his life was taking (2 of Swords). Raised in a nurturing and comfortable Jewish family (10 of Pentacles), he nevertheless struggled with his inner demons, unable to resolve his crisis (4 of Pentacles). After experiencing a profoundly spiritual revelation he became a born again Christian, which was like being hit by a club (Ace of Wands). He ran off to join a small commune in Alaska and turned his back on his family to become a single-minded and passionate warrior for Jesus (Knight of Clubs). I don't mean to imply any judgment of Jason's new-found religious beliefs, but was struck by his knight-like conviction that his was the only true path.
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