Because sh*t happens.
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Recently I wrote about the Devil card, and how it (along with the Death card) tends to freak people out. A couple of commenters noted, and I agree, that if there's one card that is potentially really frightening, it's this one. The Tower.
This is the card of bad things happen, to good people and awful people alike. It's not necessarily deserved or what we might consider just. It can be bewildering because if there were any warning signs, we somehow missed them. Something happens- even several "somethings"- and it all comes crashing down.
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To summarize- something is coming, and you're probably not going to like it.
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In every deck I've seen the sudden chaos and destruction is symbolized by a lightning strike. Lightning also has the effect of casting a brilliant, even blinding light on a situation or landscape. It's terrifying, loud, and impossible to ignore.
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In the upright position this card signifies changes that are devastating when they occur. Bankruptcy, divorce, imprisonment, injury, bereavement, a bad accident, a sudden and serious illness- the worst that life can throw at us. Interestingly enough it's a popular image for tattoos and decorative items.
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In the reversed position this card can signify a crisis narrowly averted, or one which the querent is actively denying the existence of. ("Everything is fine. We're all fine, really!") Occasionally it can signify justice being delayed or thwarted; the evildoers get away with it. Depending on it's position in a layout the Tower can represent an event which has already occurred and the effects of which are still being felt.
It's no coincidence that the Tower appears directly following the Devil in the Major Arcana. In real life the one often precedes of the other.
In combination with the Three of Swords a painful breakup or divorce is possible. Occasionally the Three of Swords can also represent cardiovascular issues. With the Five of Pentacles, financial loss and/ or homelessness are possibilities. With the Five of Swords, burglary, robbery, embezzlement, fraud, and scams are possibilities. The presence of the Five of Wands indicates serious arguments, fighting, jealousy, and envy.
At a large scale the Tower can represent natural disasters, war, political upheaval and civil unrest.
Whatever it is, it's safe to say that the effects are likely to be life-altering. Hopefully the burst of illumination that comes with the bolt from the blue will dispel any mistaken ideas and unhealthy attachments, paving the way for new (and probably hard-won) wisdom going forward.
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Thank you for reading. This is an open thread, all topics are welcome.