These days Love is taking better care of her heart. She’s not wearing it on her sleeve to flap around for anyone to borrow. Instead, it’s tucked away under her ribs exactly where it belongs, and she protects it fiercely. She embraces its beauty instead of fearing its potency.
Sometimes though, memories stir her awake, so she cradles rose quartz to her chest and casts spells of peace until her eyelids are heavy, and finally, Love dreams…
She crosses a river downstream where the currents are quiet. She wades across and finds a spot to rest. She lays quietly, held by soft grassy banks, and tries not to think about the last time she was held so gently.
The peaceful comfort of it, the way her breath left her body and time swayed seductively like a gypsy in a long skirt. She wonders when she might feel like that again.
Love sinks into the earth and disappears for hours, for days, for weeks. Time goes on and on, like her hope, like her passion, like her memories. Her heart bleeds life into the soil, and wildflowers bloom around her.
Eventually, Love stirs and walks across fields dazzled by the golden light of Sun. She sees a shimmering curtain and steps through into a darkened room warmed by an open fire. She feels its heat upon her skin and tries not to think about the last time her skin felt on fire.
The breath-taking thrill of it, the way her pulse galloped like a wild stallion, and time whirled like a spinning top. She prays that she will feel such fire again.
Love stares into the blaze for hours, for days, for weeks. The flames burn on and on, like her yearning, like her passion, like her memories. Her heart fans life into the fire, and mountains rise around her.
Eventually, the flames extinguish, and the ashes go cold. Love notices a window in the room. She frees the latch and lets the breeze brush against her cheeks, her eyes, her lips. Rain begins to fall ever so sweetly. She parts her lips and drinks like she is being kissed for the first time. She tries not to think about the last time she was kissed.
The surprise of it, the way the world tilted, and her insides buzzed like a hot summer night. She hopes that she will be kissed that way again.
Love melts into the rain for hours, for days, for weeks. The rain falls on and on, like her sadness, like her passion, like her memories. Her heart cries life into the clouds, and oceans birth around her.
Finally, the skies clear, and Love sees Sun rising and Venus setting on opposite horizons. She climbs out the window, steps upon Venus and glides away. She lets herself fall in rapture with the endless stars, trying not to think about the last time she sank so deeply.
The reckless wonder of it, the way the air stretched thin before exploding. She knows she’ll always dare to venture that deeply again.
Love stays with the stars for hours, for days, for weeks. The stars shine on and on, like her future, like her passion, like her memories. Her heart bursts planets into life, and they orbit around her.
Eventually, dawn arrives, and Venus is in the east, helping Sun beckon the world awake with glorious certainty. Love dips a quill into Sun, fills it with light and tattoos wings upon her heart.
When Love awakens, it’s winter, but she can sense it will be an early spring. There’s a budding anticipation of beginnings, and the grass is dewy beneath her feet. Love isn’t at all sure what’s coming next, but she welcomes the making of memories.
Love has always believed she is enough. Finally, she knows she is ready for more.
.
.
.
Love Is Ready is part two of a series dedicated to Venus Retrograde, which occurs every 18 months. Venus is the planet of love. When Venus is retrograde, she is not visible in the sky while she transitions from being an evening star to a morning star. The transition takes 40 days. The current retrograde is 19 December 2021 to 29 January 2022. See you on the other side with part three.
(Part Two written after the 2020 Venus retrograde from May 13 to June 26.)