Lessons for Lovers

Earlier this week I saw someone share a meme that said, “I need a white woman with a nose ring to tell me which planets are making me sad…” the post continued, “I’m pretty sure it’s Earth.” I do not follow the movement of the planets with any sort of devotion, but I can always tell when Venus is ready to teach me a lesson. I woke up this morning excited that she had stationed direct, feeling a deep understanding in all that asked me to release, and bury, and grieve. But Venus had one more lesson for me.

Just before I turned down my street, I noticed two birds in the road and I assumed that they were feasting on something that had fallen. A car drove by and one of the birds flew away, while the other tried to flap its wings, but could not lift off the ground. The car passed by the outside lane, and soon the healthy bird was once again beside its mate. It stood guard— was alert to all of its surroundings— and then stepped onto the injured bird. I was confused until the healthy bird squeezed its talons and tried to hoist itself into the air along with its injured mate. The couple moved maybe 6 inches, and then the healthy bird did it again. This scene repeated for a few minutes, the healthy bird flying momentarily to safety as cars would pass… the injured bird laying there… me in silent observation.

I started to wonder, what’s the end goal for the healthy bird? Sure, it can drag its mate out of the street and decrease the likelihood of an encounter with a vehicle, but there’s still other animals to worry about. How often do we just react without thinking things through all the way? Letting go can be hard, so we do everything in our power to try and make something stay. We wrap our talons around heavy loads, and flap with all of our might. Perhaps the lesson here is in the letting go?

Or perhaps the lesson on this crisp morning is that, once again, we aren’t meant to go it alone. We partner. We gather in relationship and sometimes we have to give into the sacred surrender. We have to ask for what we need, or be still and allow others to love us into safety and healing. Whatever the lesson is, I’m sure it ties back to love… because it all does. Just ask Venus.