Have you ever noticed that certain themes emerge in your life each year?
For me personally, these themes work themselves out in a 2-year cycle with a new primary year starting around my birthday every year. The first year is usually a reordering of a particular area of my life and the second year is about fulfillment of that reordering. “Fulfillment” doesn’t necessarily mean what’s typically perceived as “success.” For example, in 2004/2005, the theme was committed relationships, with my marriage ending in 2004 and me getting very clear on what I wanted in my relationships–and practicing at it–in 2005. Fulfillment didn’t mean a new marriage or committed relationship but that could have been one manifestation if other things had lined up appropriately for me. Instead, it was a new way of looknig at relationships and a new ways of being in them.
(Astrologically, this is easily seen in my solar return charts, which have my Pluto destroying/regenerating in one sector of my life and my Sun focusing light on that sector in the next year.)
My theme–like it or not–for the 2007-2008 span is friendships, groups, goals, and ideals. My goals and ideals have certainly regenerated and become more focused and specific, but so have my friendships and group affiliations. What I look for in new friendships has changed. (But change can not only be good, but great!) It’s part of what makes life easier for me now, in many ways. Any time I forget how different this part of my life is, something will show up to remind me, to give me a data point for contrast.
For example, an old friend from work reappeared this week after 5 years to “volunteer” my “free time” to one of his projects so he’d look good. No asking if I had time. No asking if I’d be interested. No idea of what is going on in my life. Just assuming and publicly offering my “services” to someone he wanted to impress. He assured me it would be a commitment of no more than 6 to 8 hours a month of my personal time. He didn’t consider that I might prefer to spend those 6 to 8 hours a month with my daughters, on my writing, on my home business, on my exercise program, or with a new romance. And HE was upset that I didn’t give him a positive and unhesitant response. I used to think he was a good friend, but in truth, this was typical for how he treated me. Yes, I used to have friends at work who were vultures, no offense ot the bird.
But as my birthday approaches, I’m already feeling the Sun shine on my sector of friendships and goals. Certain new group affiliations are lining up for me that have me excited, and they’re feeling quite sunny.
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