We’re officially in Libra Season. The Aires Full Moon is the brightest heavenly body in the sky. I was up crazy early this morning (3:30). The kitty was hungry and there was nothing for it but to get out of bed and feed her. This time of day is frequently quite productive. With coffee in hand I returned to bed to lounge and write my morning pages.

Mostly these musings were observations of my care clients, our developing friendships and how emotions affect cognitive faculties. I only have two recurring people, with the occasional pick-up. It’s a kind of charting. This isn’t a requirement but I do it for my own health. Noting things on paper brings clarity and helps me help them. It gives me insight into having the most positive impact.

Some days are better than others. One day is bright and energetic. The next, moody and lethargic. I see my own out-of-balance moments mirrored larger-than-life in my main dementia client. We aren’t that different. The Parkinson’s man presents differently. This seems to be a more clearly defined disease process. Yet he too responds to focus.

Maybe a targeted “thought” therapy would be helpful, especially in the dementia category. Has anyone tried this approach? I wonder if dementia, which plagues roughly ten percent of the older adult population (and is increasing at an alarming rate) isn’t caused, at least in part, by social isolation, loss of purpose and depression. For example:

What if I’m alone or my life partner has left me or died? What coping skills do I, or most people, possess? Does my belief system help me? In most cases, unless we are practicing meditation and mindfulness techniques, the answer is probably no. So what can we do about it?

Here’s an observation that draws a corollary between me and my main charge. If I don’t speak the French I learned in high school, I lose access to it. If I don’t play the piano or keep thinking over screenplays, actors and directors, I have to work to find that data again. The memories are there but if the neural pathways don’t fire, they start to disintegrate.

What if one developed a system of intentional remembering? My demented friend, as my mom was, is beyond being able to pretend she’s fully present. And yet she responds to my concentrated focus. If I keep bringing her back to the subject, she latches on. Not for long but still. Most of the time she can grab hold and I know this uplifts her spirit.

Yesterday was a good day for my friend. Tuning into her mood and paying attention to what she wants to express helps her relax and feel “normal.” I am like a fulcrum, bringing balance. What an exercise! It is a practice. Exactly what I need. Maybe we all need to be more present to each other. She teaches me something every time we’re together.

After writing observations such as the ones mentioned I started making a meatloaf. It’s nice to have something homemade in the fridge. As the onion, sweet peppers, shallots and garlic carmelized on the stove, I went outside to offer some wilted lettuce to the deer. It was still very dark out. The stars where bright. Wimberley is a Dark Sky community.

As I glanced up and to the west I happened to catch a glimpse of the almost full moon. Or as the astrologers call it, the full moon in Aires. It was so stunning I audibly gasped. The glowing orb was giant looking as it hung low on the horizon just above the rooftops. It was so startlingly beautiful I dashed back inside to grab my iPad to take a photo (still in my nightgown and and apron). It was 5:31 am.

By the time I got back out, the moon was nearly invisible behind the clouds. I took the shot anyway. That’s the picture you see as the thumbnail photo. It looks more like an abstract painting than the moon.

The astrologers say this moon is in Aires and is not just about finding balance in relationships, it’s about harvesting the seeds in relationships we planted in spring. You could arguably say this pertains to any time and no one would find fault. While I don’t put a lot of stock in astrology it IS intriguing how the planets influence us. The constellations are also rooted in ancient storytelling, so how can I not be interested?

I’m a Virgo in four placements with Libra rising and a Scorpio moon. This is like Greek (ha!) to me but translations of my birth chart have been eerily accurate. Even so, the mythical aspect of Virgo holds more interest to me than the math. The archetype of the maiden is associated with the Greek gods: especially Demeter, her daughter Persephone, the lord of the underworld, who kidnapped her, and the seasonal cycles.

Here’s what I know for sure. I am doing my best to bring balance into my own life. And if I can help bring balance into other people’s lives, however that manifests, that’s pure joy. I’m also enjoying the harvest of a year’s work on saying no to negative energy and fear. It’s been quite a journey. Today promises to be another beautiful fall day. Enjoy your weekend. The moon will be completely full tomorrow night. 🤗