I finally figured out how to verbalize it!

Hooray! I finally found the words to express the nameless feeling I get when I talk to a caller who sounds like they intend to use a card reading as the basis for a relationship decision.

There were some cards that outlined some problems that existed in said relationship. What I told the caller before I reviewed them was, "I don't want you to make final decisions based on cards. I want you to use the cards to open a dialogue with [your significant other], and based on THAT, make your decision."

I wish I'd had time to say the same thing to another caller with whom I just spoke. This person had less than 3 pre-purchased minutes remaining when the call came through. The question was an odd one: "Which of three men is most likely to marry me?" I pulled cards for each man, and barely got into discussing the first card when time ran out.

I hate when that happens, especially when I can see some difficulties exist. When cards like that come up, I use it as an opportunity to tell the caller to talk to the person they're in the relationship with about the situation. I didn't even come close to having the opportunity to do that this time around.

Oh, well. Maybe the Universe wanted her not to make her decision based solely on a card reading, so she made the call when she was about to run out of prepaid minutes. I hope she'll make her decision based on the relative merits of her three suitors. Cards provide insight, but that doesn't mean that we should use them in place of common sense and conventional wisdom. They're supposed to augment those assets, not supplant them.