I was enjoying myself at a Labor Day BBQ, chatting with an interesting man.  He was a successful business executive, dedicated to running a large company for many years.  But as we were sharing about our lives, he said something to his wife referencing their horoscope. They had stayed longer at the BBQ than they had intended, given their reading for the day suggested they should have a quiet day at home.  My eyebrows raised and my interest was definitely piqued.  Your horoscope?  “Oh, yes,” he replied, telling me how he checks the horoscopes from the SF Chronicle for himself and his wife every day.  He’s been doing this for years.

Interesting, I thought.  People sure do surprise you.  He seemed like such a man of logic and practicality, reason and fact.  I had to pursue it.  “May I ask you about your connection to your horoscope?”  His reply really spoke to me.  “Of course,” he said, with a look of great sincerity, “It reminds me that not everything is in my control.”

I’ve thought about this ever since then, the dance we all do with our sense of being in charge of our lives and the vulnerability we feel when we’re not.  We all like to feel we’re in control, but it can also be a burden. We have to carry the stress of our decisions and the weight of our power.  There is, in fact, a relief at letting go, and recognizing the powerful influences of all the forces we can’t control. But there is also great vulnerability in this, an uncertainty that is hard to tolerate.

It reminds me of the serenity prayer:  “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”  

We all have to find a way to manage this tricky balance.  Some people use religion and find great comfort in the idea that God has a plan for them.  Other people use rituals, some might even say superstitions.  I have a tendency to hold my breath going through tunnels and make a wish. I also make sure to attach a desire to each sighting of a shooting star.  Ever watch an athlete about to compete?  They often look like someone having a seizure, going through twitches of motions that need to be done in order to perform their best.  

History shows that people become more interested in astrology during tumultuous times, with interest rising during the Great Depression in the 1930s as well as in Germany before the two world wars.  There was even a boom in interest during the pandemic. Research suggests the use of astrology helps people make sense of things during times when life feels complex.  It’s such a fundamental human need to want to feel we have a source of wisdom, advice, and/or something or someone beyond ourselves who is watching out for us.

Who doesn’t want a way to make order or sense of the world when life feels so unpredictable?  Why not lean on something that provides a bit of insight into the mystery of the universe?  And even when my head tells me that there is no rational way to explain how my eating the same food during a NY Giants game will lead to victory, I like thinking I’m helping out the team.  It’s something I can do and a way to be a part of the action.  Or maybe it’s just an excuse to eat nachos. Either way, it feels like it improves my chances for a good result, even if that’s just some chips and yummy melted cheese.  And, who knows, maybe that man at the BBQ was using his horoscope as an excuse to stop talking to me?  Either way, it serves him well.