We can all learn something from the cactus. It doesn’t have a lot of access to water. Its terrain is largely barren, full of dangers and challenges which most life would not endure. Nonetheless, it makes wise use of its resources. When there is water, the cactus absorbs it and stores it inside. It takes advantage of the lack of tall plants in its surroundings to capture the light of the sun and grow slowly, but ever so steadily. Even though its exterior may be aggressive-looking and overprotective, once in a while it musters all its strength and produces flowers that can outshine in color and in beauty all of the muted, gray sand tones that engulf it. And with those flowers, all of the slow, careful work of the cactus leaves behind a legacy that will outlast it by a thousand years.

And that’s the Seven of Pentacles for you.