I'm a Sagittarius

I love astrology; in fact, I recommend it to people who I know are open-minded. That's the key, open-mindedness. My mother followed astrology; in fact, I can remember her clipping the horoscope for Taurus out of our daily newspaper and almost placing the fate of her day into this tiny article. My mom, like many other African American women of the time (early 1980's), believed horoscopes held power and insight. This was my indoctrination, so to speak, my entry into horoscopes and the whimsical nature of astrology.

As the title suggests, I am a Sagittarius, the quintessential Sagittarius. If you looked up traits of the Sag, I possess several of the attributes. For example, adventurous is my middle name; I love to go on small expeditions, as I call them, and get lost, literally. Moreover, my photography benefits uniquely from my ability to venture out and explore. Next, the likelihood to say whatever is on my heart is highly probable. This, however, has gotten me into many uncomfortable situations because it comes off as rude. Still, in my mind, it's honesty. It's fulfilling my horoscope. Moreover, optimism is my calling card; as my friends say, I "keep the faith." I have so much confidence in my situation and abilities, sometimes I don't plan for a contingency that involves a losing outcome. For example, I have no plans associated with losing this writing contest. None. Failure is not an option. So as you can see, I genuinely believe my zodiac sign is reflective of my personality. But here comes the rub; based on my upbringing and socialization with horoscopes, am I merely accepting the attributes as an absolute because that's what I've been taught. For example, my zodiac relationship requires me to know the zodiac sign of a potential mate. For example, if you are a low match for me, in my case, a Libra or Capricorn, I will likely decide against getting to know you. Insanity. Now, I understand this is problematic, but the downside of a poor relationship is motivation enough to embrace the "crazy."

When I was in my first year of college living in San Diego, I met the most amazing woman ever. But she was a Scorpio, which clearly defines her as an unsuitable mate in my particular Sagittarius doctrine. But I ignored the compatibility warnings and jumped into a relationship, which resulted in one of the most enriching experiences I have ever had. This clearly created a cosmic-sized quagmire within my psyche and belief system regarding romantic relationships. So yet again, my zodiac and real-life impact diverged significantly.

The intrigue of the unknown is such a draw; the idea that the universe and the cosmos can establish personality, predilections, and tendencies is almost intoxicating. Moreover, the consistency across media, albeit an echo chamber of its own, reinforces the idea.

This brings us to the most consequential trait that Sagittarius possesses, the absolute skin-crawling nature of clingy people. I simply cannot deal with that level of possessiveness. I don't mean affection or closeness; I'm talking about partners or potential ones who want to bottle us Sags up and not allow us to run wild. This is the defining character trait because it opens the door to what being a Sag means. Clinginess looks like wanting to go on an adventure you may not have been invited to or planning an experience I do not wish to attend. It's fickle and speaks to the fluidity of the discipline and how we chose to interact with it. I count myself as a believer in astrology, find it fascinating yet absolutely frustrating. 🤷🏿‍♂️