in small doses

For about 6 years in a row my Dad and Stepmum gave me self-help books every birthday and Christmas. I'm not sure if they thought I liked them, or they thought I needed them, either way I built up quite a library which required some fast talking to explain to new flatmates. The majority remained unread, and now have moved on to more grateful owners.

With one of the books came a pack of affirmation cards. You know the kind, those self help, positive affirmation, fortune type cards. You're suppose to hold them in your hand, let your "energy" seep into them then select one at random, and the divine powers that be make sure that card holds the answer you need. (Note all of this is in a seriously sarcastic tone, for which I apologise if anyone really values this kind of stuff. It's not that I don't think there is value in it, it's just that after 6 years of unchanging gifts I became rather peeved by the whole stupid thing. There's a more to it, obviously, which has created this contempt, but "6 years" is my explanation for today).

Anyway (end sarcasm, seriously) the books have long gone but I really like these cards. The illustrations are quirky and warm, and maybe the pictures speak more to me than the words. But every now and then when I need a little help'n I reach in, do the divine shuffle, and pull a card out. The small doses of card-sized self help are about as much as I can take, but the pretty pictures help me to swallow it. I must admit I do cheat though, I keep reading through them one at a time, until I find one that I like. I guess my sarcasm has caused transmission interference with the divine powers that be. In any case I like the cards, and that's a start.