The Three of Bells is Ether (stories, patterns, pervasive things) related to the element Fire (wills, moral impulse, ego, change). It may signify a role model or a story which motivates someone to behave in certain ways, pervasive and inescapable forces, or a person or organization with widespread influence.
It could represent the heroes of classical mythologies, or revered gods whom people seek to understand, shaping their personal moral codes in the process. This card could simply represent a flesh-and-blood role model, someone whose actions and accomplishments others seek to emulate.
In the sense that it could represent an ethereal, pervasive will, this card may be interpreted as the will of a powerful organization or a powerful person, or any force which may be perceived as similar to the will of a god. Such forces may move mountains with a single decree, or they may hold more moderate influence over large populations.
It may be that someone or something with a great deal of influence is pertinent to the reading at hand. Alternatively, this card could indicate that someone or something has a wider influence than is presently understood or appreciated.
The Abstract Three of Bells is abstract Ether (experience in itself, journeying, sense of place, distance) related to the element Fire (discomfort or anxiety, change, desire, ego). It may signify holding out for a reward— anxious patience which arises from desire. Such patience can conceivably be warranted, however this card is also for the people who spend their entire lives waiting for something that may never come to them. Sometimes it is best to just let go and move on.
Sometimes it is impossible to move on, like when a speech is drawn out far beyond a reasonable time frame, or when the wait time at a clinic is excessive. This card may also represent occasions like these where people naturally become restless.
Alternatively, it could represent a desire to get away when certain aspects of life lose their luster, and seemingly greater things call from afar.