Oh, Little Virgo

I have quite an attachment to the stars. My Bachelor’s degree reads “Astrophysics.” I fell in love with the Cosmos, all that there ever was, and all that there ever will be, the first moment I heard Carl Sagan’s voice proclaim: “we are made of starstuff.”

As the years passed since my exploration at the wonder of the universe, I often laughed and made jokes with friends about “Virgo qualities” this or “Oh, such a Sagittarius” that. But I love the idea that the stars were in different places when I was born, whether it be sun, moon, rising, Venus, all of them. I scoured birth charts furiously, and even allowed birth charts to be made for my son (he is straight up all earth signs, it’s bonkers. Not a single variation). It is another way to know ourselves. Just as the universe and the Cosmos is a way for us to know ourselves.

I am a Virgo, and my son is a Virgo. He was born August 23rd, right on the Leo/Virgo cusp. And I was born three days later on August 26th. I thought I was a cusp! But my little Lion of a Virgo exemplifies both. Just ask him to roar like a lion for you (he’s 3.5 years old). Just check out his actual mane (his hair is past his shoulders and wild). Because of our little Virgo connection, I wear a rose gold and peridot Virgo constellation around my neck every day. Haven’t taken it off in almost 3 years. Probably never will. Unless I have to get it repaired… but then I’ll put it right back on.

Speaking of my son, and Carl Sagan…. My son’s name is Sagan Atlas. So, again, I have quite an attachment to the stars.

Now, Virgos, we are the uptight, neat freaks of the zodiac, correct? While I do have more planners and organizers and calendars than any one human woman should… we are a bit more complex. Virgos are known for being practical, loyal, and sensible. We are driven like no one else in our quest for self-improvement, despite being a bit single-minded. You’ll never find a more hardworking person than a Virgo, driven, motivated to succeed. This makes us extremely dedicated to the people in our lives. We love to help, we are patient, we are kind, and we are reliable. Alright, alright… we have our weaknesses too. But isn’t it just soooo Virgo of me to not want to admit those?

I’ll admit it- I’m critical, picky, and overthink like it’s my job. I am the definition of a “Type A personality.” I have a hard time relaxing, I’m always looking for the next big thing, and I’m constantly trying to make things perfect all the time by over-over-over-achieving. You ask me to help you find a dress that a girl is wearing in an Instagram post? Here’s a comprehensive essay on the style of dress. Here’s the exact dress from the manufacturer’s/designer’s website. Here’s a knock-off on EBay that a normal person can afford. Oh, and I ordered it for you, too. Surprise! Because I love you so much. Should be here in 10-14 business days. They didn’t have an express shipping option. And look, this Virgo just turned weaknesses into strengths! Typical.

It really is that simple. But, is it?

To say that the stars and planets shape our personalities has always left me conflicted. To think that the universe cares one way or another and is not some large indifferent body is hard for me to justify. But the magic is compelling. The evidence is compelling. Humans are complex, and we have a very deep “need” to understand things. To understand the universe, to understand stars and their movement, to uncover meaning behind the things we observe in this lifetime. And most of all, to understand ourselves. I've studied psychology, religion, witchcraft, new-age, tarot, the Enneagram, Myers-Briggs, you name it. Just trying to understand humans, and honestly, to understand myself.

I love that I’m a Virgo, I love that there are ways to explain some of my personality traits. I love that I can wear my Virgo necklace proudly for myself and my little Virgo boy. But the reality is, he’s going to turn out completely different than me, because humans are more complex. And yes, I know, we have an entire birth chart to dissect as to why, but fundamentally, the world around us changes us. We become an amalgamation of every single person we meet, we fall in love with, we read the words of, we hear the voice of on TV. We are compiled of so many different things, it’s truly beautiful. So, I cannot say… it’s all the stars.

But who knows? We are all made of star stuff, after all.