Just Give Me a Sign!

When I was a little girl, my family and I would lay a blanket on our back deck and lie out to look at the stars. We lived in a very rural town, which meant that the stars shone their brightest in the completely black sky. We would try to let our eyes take in the billions of sparkling lights dancing along the milky way. We searched for shooting stars and sometimes made wishes by mistake on a sneaky satellite sweeping along the night sky.

The stars were pure magic. They would leave us in awe as we studied thier constellations, and they secured in me the sense that life and this universe we live in, is beyond comprehension in its magnificence and glory.

So I have never truly closed the door on the concept of star signs defining our personalities. BUT, as a human born in the small window of time in June where the star signs change, it is a bit of a struggle. You see, my star sign is different depending on the publication, or the person, with whom I am engaged. Sometimes I am a Gemini, sometimes I am a Cancer - it all depends which chart the person is using because apparently the change-over dates can vary!

When I was young this would bother me as my friends all talked about their sign and what it meant for their lives. "I am a Leo, so I am passionate." "I am an Aquarius so I am very intelligent." I was always, "Well I am a Gemini or a Cancer depending on what you read, so I am either social and wild, or sensitive and maternal." Which one was I? My friends would look at me in confusion and wonder if I had a double personality. I wanted a definition - just tell me who I am!

Then I began to wise-up to the benefits of straddling the cosmic signs. I could basically pick whichever horoscope I preferred and make it mine. Cancer going to unexpectedly come into some money this month? Okay! I am a Cancer. Gemini getting a romantic surprise this month - Gemini over here! It was a cosmic lottery and I had two entries!

This realization eventually brought me to a lightbulb moment in my life - I am what I believe I am. And that is the power of star signs.

We are all looking for meaning in our lives: the purpose, who we are. We find it in places like religion, spirituality, family, work, society - but mostly in the things we are told about ourselves. That is where a star sign comes in. Some critics will say, "It is all so general, it could mean anything or be about anyone," and that is very true. But for those who believe it and see some part of who they are, or who they want to be, within the description, they develop a clear idea of what it means for them. The person internalizes it, and fosters and encourages that quality within themselves until eventually it is a self-fulfilling prophecy.

A star sign might also warn us all about the pitfalls of humanity and the parts of our personalities we all must watch for - but it breaks it down for us to deal with in bite-sized chunks. Sagittarius - you might be blunt and hurtful so watch that! Pisces - you might be indecisive and flaky so keep it in mind! Well, who hasn't been sharp with words or indecisive? These are traits in humanity as a whole and these star signs help us to recognize it in ourselves and to be mindful.

Horoscopes help us to believe, truly believe, that the universe is bringing a certain thing to us, and we therefore vibrate energy with that belief in mind. Once again - perhaps a self fulfilling prophecy, or the universe having our backs. The star sign gives us information and we can leave it, or we can take it, believe it whole-heartedly, and make it reality.

Like anything in life - we have to be open to information and take from it what we need. If it brings us peace, happiness and joy, then why not? We must never forget that we are made up of stars, and stars of us. So let's look up and acknowledge the absolute wonder of it all.