Now she’s run out of pros and cons, and she frowns slightly, under the strain of sorting out her own arguments and trying to dredge up an actual, firm decision from the lot.
You can see the Libran female is nothing if not fair, and committed to balanced judgment all around. You may get a little bored with her digressions on subjects such as Facebook, but you’ll sincerely appreciate her efforts at fairness, and her ability to judge correctly by weighing all sides, when it comes to something that really matters. Other women might toss off opinions that reflect their own individual natures, and seldom care much about what you think, or about a fair answer. To a Libra woman, there’s no such thing as what she thinks is right. Your opinion deserves as much respect as hers and Plato’s, until the decision is made, based on the flaws in her arguments, yours and all the philosophers.
Most Venus females work both before and after marriage. They seek cash for the lovely things it can buy. The Libra bird needs lots of fine feathers for her luxurious nest. She loves beautiful clothes, expensive perfumes, classical music and—did somebody say she was masculine? Yes, I did. One side of her. But you will barely notice her hard head when it wears such pretty hair-dos. Mostly, Libran women need plentiful sums of money to remove them from the squalor and ugliness of discordant surroundings, which can actually make them emotionally and physically ill. But there’s another reason she works, another reason she wants money. Her man. If there’s one thing a Libra female treasures above all else on this temporal earth, it’s the man she’s chosen to love, honor and manage.
She hates to play solitaire. Partnerships, in both business and romance, constitute her deepest need. She doesn’t like to work alone, and she’s literally incapable of living alone. Libra women who visit astrologers have only two questions they really care about. If it’s not one, it’s always the other. Either: “When will I meet someone I really love?” or “When will I find someone to go into business with me?” With her, marriage is a joint venture, and the rules are almost as strict as those in a corporate setup. You are the president of the association, and you’re honored as such. She’s the chairman of the board, who will keep you from making mistakes, in her own feminine, protective way. Her nature is built for teamwork. She’ll want to participate in as many of your interests and activities as possible. She’s willing to entertain with her husband, and she’s female enough to follow his lead when he wants to change his career, move to another city, or cultívate new friends. She’s a partner who will help smooth the way for her spouse and be sure he thinks twice before taking impulsive actions or making an ill-considered judgment.
You really have to give her credit. The typical Libra woman has no desire to be a stone around her husband’s neck. She simply wants to remove all the stones in his path. She’s not nearly as domineering on the surface as she is inwardly, because the last thing she wants to do is make a lot of positive statements you can hold her responsible for later. She’ll tread gently in most cases (unless she has an Aries ascendant—and if you’re mixed up with a woman who had a double cardinal influence like that at birth, you have a sizable problem).
The average Libra female is highly intellectual and has amazing powers of analysis, which can be a real help in solving your business problems. She seldom lets her emotions keep her from dispassionate decision or a balanced view, and she can usually give you better advice than your banker. Naturally, her abilities along these lines can cover a multitude of vices. Not only that, but if she’s a typical Venus gal, she offers her pearls of wisdom on a silver platter of charm and amiable suggestion. Her iron hand wears a soft, velvet glove, and she can nudge you off the wrong track and in the right direction so gently, you’ll swear the switch was entirely your own idea. An Aries, Scorpio, Leo or Taurus man will normally put his Libran wife on a pedestal and worship her. That’s only fair, because she worships him, too. Outsiders who visit the love nest of a properly mated Libran and her husband may feel as though they were seeing Adam and Eve, before the snake came along and spoiled everything. (Two Librans wed to each other invariably become cooing lovebirds or snarling adversaries. They’ll go to one extreme or the other, sometimes on a permanent basis, sometimes every other day.)
There are many rewards when you’re living with a Libra female. She’ll never open your mail. It simply wouldn’t occur to her to be so dishonorable. She’ll never reveal your secrets to your friends or embarrass you in front of your work colleagues. She’ll probably charm them into submission, too, with the same smile she used to melt your heart when you first met her. There are some Libra women with afflicted Mars positions, who may over-indulge in excessive emotions at times, or eat and drink more than is good for them, but they’re few and far between. Even if a Venus female does occasionally trip over her own scales, sooner or later she’ll gracefully achieve her normal state of heavenly harmony. There will be moments when you’ll wonder if she’s an angel or devil, but the angels fight on her side more often than not.
You probably won’t complain of lack of physical proof of her love, because she’s as sentimental as old lace, and as affectionate as a woman has any right to be. Although she’s sincere about her billing and cooing, those sweet glances, tender touches, warm hugs and frequent kisses are also a pretty effective smokescreen for her hidden masculine drive. There’s no law that says sincerity can’t have a practical application.
Your home may look like one of those magazine ads for wall-to-wall carpeting. The colors will harmonize, and the furniture will be in good taste. Pictures will hang straight, and meals will usually be served on time. With most Venus women you can also count on some romantic dinners complete with cloth napkins, sterling silver, flowers on the table, good china, candlelight, wine, soft music and a balanced menu. Taking into consideration her clever mind and her sparkling wit, there’s not a whole lot more you could ask. Being a woman is sort of a lifetime occupation to her, and she’s bound to arrive at perfection somewhere along the line. Your Libran consort likes to talk. But she’ll also make a flattering listener, when you have a need for a good audience. This woman is both tough and soft at the same time, and it’s not every female who can manage that delicate balancing act.
Her sweet manners and smooth ability to cool your fevered brow can lead you to think she’s weak and helpless, or that she’ll be fluttery and feminine when a crisis erupts. If so, you’re much mistaken. That dear, womanly little creature is composed of nine parts steel. Just because you missed it when she was shrewdly and bravely planning to hook you during those early chess games when she kept letting you beat her, you shouldn’t remain blind forever. Open your eyes wide the next time there’s a family emergency, and see who keeps the boat from rocking. Who really does it, I mean. The truth needn’t rob you of your masculinity. No one but you will know how much you need her helping hand at the helm when things get choppy. She’ll never brag about it, or take anything away from you—except a large part of the responsibility. Be grateful she’s so dependable. She may also wear slacks most of the time instead of frilly skirts, but you can bet her lingerie will be delicate lace or slinky silk. One of her most valuable assets is her ability to hide her sharp, keen mind behind utter femininity.
The children will be loved and tenderly cared for by a Libra mother, but in all honesty, they will come in a poor second to you. They’re junior partners, but you are the president of the company, and she’ll never forget that basic fact. They’ll get a large chunk of her heart, but she’ll never allow them to steal the corner she gave to you before they came along. If their play interferes with your rest, she can be pretty strict, and if they disobey you, she’ll be angrier than if they disobeyed her. The youngsters will be sweet and clean as infants, neat and polite as adults—unless you spoil them and she doesn’t interfere because you’re the lord and master. It’s just another one of those decisions she may leave in your hands, so she can avoid making the wrong judgment. The Libra mother is normally gentle, yet quite firm when the need arises. Her childr
en are never neglected or ignored, but the truth of the matter is that the reason she wanted to become a mother in the first place was so she could give you more happiness that way. One of the first things she’ll teach them when they learn their prayers is to say, “God bless Daddy.” She’ll never permit them to disrespect their father. Still, if you get a little overbearing, she’s a pretty soft pillow for their tears, and she may sneak them a peppermint stick behind your back when you’ve put your foot down too severely.
It’s true that she may nibble on sweets too often and get fat. She may linger too long at the dance or over the wine bottle. There may be times when she’s a little bossy, and other moments when she talks your ear off. But these things will only occur when her emotional scales are temporarily off balance. They will never fail to settle into even steadiness when the occasional dipping is over. Unless somebody stands there with his foot on one of them, Libran scales always eventually balance themselves. If one side is a little low, add some affection and it will rise. If the other side drops from the weight of too much sadness, lighten it with understanding and her beautiful harmony will return.
What other woman could look like a princess when you take her to the ball, then turn right around, lace up her boots, zip up her red plaid lumber jacket, and help you saw logs for the fireplace? She has sweetness enough for the first and strength enough for the second. If her name is Rosey, you’ll be whistling “Ro Ro Rosey” by Van Morrison. If it’s Melissa or Michelle, you’ll happily hum “Sweet Melissa” or sing “Michelle, ma belle.” In case the song writers have forgotten to pay her a tribute, write your own melody in waltz time, with a good, strong beat, and dedicate it to your Libra woman. Fortissimo.
The LIBRA Child
“She’s in that state of mind,” said the White Queen,
“That she wants to deny something—only she doesn’t know what to deny!”
“My, what a beautiful baby!” Parents of October infants hear that phrase so often, they can be forgiven for feeling smug. The little Libran does seem to be a plump, pink angel, right out of the pages of a baby book. With his sweet expression and those pleasant, well-balanced Venus features, he’s quite a charmer. He seldom kicks off his blankets in red-faced, screaming rage, or punches Mommy in the nose when she tries to give him his bottle. He’s too well-mannered for such wild shenanigans. When he smiles, it lights up the whole nursery. “My, what a dear, good baby! So quiet and calm. So chubby and dimpled. Surely a gracious fairy touched him with her magic kiss.”
I don’t like to play the role of the mean old witch at the royal christening, but would you mind checking to see if he has a dimple in his chin? Most Libran babies do. You found it? Well, just for fun, you might turn to the last page of your baby record book and write a line Grandma was fond of quoting. “Dimple in chin—Devil within.” (Grandma may have secretly studied astrology.) There will come a time in the future when you’ll glance at that line and silently pay tribute to her wisdom.
It may be some morning when he’s sitting at the table, slowly stirring his spoon in first one dish, then another. The dish on the right contains his poached egg, all nicely mashed the way he likes it. The dish on the left contains his oatmeal, all nicely covered with brown sugar, the way he likes it. Both are getting ice cold, and he hasn’t taken a bite. Isn’t he hungry? Yes, he’s starved. Does he have a fever? No, he feels fine. Is he angry about something? No, not at all. Then why does he sit there so stubbornly and keep pushing his spoon around like that? Why won’t he take a bite of something?
He can’t decide which to eat first—the eggs or the cereal. You just compounded the confusion by giving him a glass of orange juice and a piece of toast to try to tempt him. That was a mistake. Now he’ll never be able to make up his mind. Better just forget breakfast today. Tomorrow morning, give him one thing at a time. First, the orange juice. He drinks it. Then the cereal. He eats it. Next the eggs. He loves them. Finally, the toast. As he sits there chewing happily, you’ll be amazed that he ate all his breakfast in less than ten minutes. You have just learned the most important lesson in raising a Libra child. Never give him a choice. He hates to make a decision.
If there’s anything a Libran child hates worse than making up his mind, it’s having to make up his mind in a hurry. Don’t rush him. Let’s say he’s learned to dress himself and in the excitement of such an adventure, over a period of weeks, he forgot his typical indecision. Now getting dressed is kind of old hat to him. You give him a start by helping him into his training pants. You lay out his pants, shirt, shoes and socks. He sits there. “Get dressed, Anthony.” He sits there. “Hurry up and get dressed, Anthony!”
The next thing you know, you’ll be telling people your Libra child is stubborn. That’s not fair. A Taurus child is stubborn. Not a Libra child. You are trying to rush him into deciding quickly which sock goes on which foot first. The whole thing is difficult enough, but just when he had made up his mind to put the left sock on the right foot, you shouted at him, disturbed his equilibrium, and now he’s back where he was in the beginning. Which sock first? You see, it’s your fault, not his. How does anyone expect him to make such a momentous decision if people are always shouting and hollering and yelling at him? It hurts his ear drums, and besides, it makes him forget what he was about ready to decide.
It’s the kind of thing that can make you a little trembly, especially if you’re the nervous type, and you’re not the only one. Someday there will be a wonderful woman he’s in love with. They will be discussing marriage. When and if. He’ll sit there. Should he? Or shouldn’t he? the girlfriend waits patiently. He’ll have the same pained expression on his pleasant features he has right now. Finally, “Anthony, are we going to get married?” He sits there. Then: “Anthony, when are we going to get married?” Poor girl. That’s the same mistake you made with the orange juice and toast. Now he has two things to decide. Not only should they get married, but when. You’ll have to have a talk with her.
But that’s quite a few years off. Today it’s the shoes and socks. Walk over to him firmly and say, “Anthony, let’s put this sock on this foot first.” Say it in gentle tones. Don’t scream or be shrill. If you can, put the words to music and sing it to him. He’ll love that. Now, you have removed two obstacles. You helped him decide, and you created a pleasant atmosphere. In five minutes, he’s dressed. That’s what the girlfriend will have to do someday. She’ll have to sing to him softly, “We’re-getting-wed-on-June 26th” (to the tune of “Here Comes the Bride”). If she’s the shy type, you may have to wait a long time to become a grandparent. The happy ending to the story is this: If you train him to make up his mind, without pushing, shoving or trying to rush him, you will profit, too. By then, he will have mastered his indecision.
Libra children whose parents have confused their delicate balance by constantly insisting that they decide things too fast often grow up with quite a neurosis about choices. Suggest a solution to him gently, over and over again. Eventually, he’ll pick up the knack and you’ll have helped him overcome one of his greatest difficulties. Show him how it’s done. That’s all. He may appear to be stubborn, but he’s just reacting in typical Libran fashion to discordant interruption and the emotional trauma of being rushed through his careful moment of decision. He’d like to please you, he really would, but he can be efficient only when there’s harmony of sound, color and thought in his world. Tension makes it hang crooked, like a lopsided picture. When hasty grownups force a young personality into the wrong mold, it may harden into an odd shape.
It may help you feel less frustrated to know about my friend, a dental technician whose wife presented him with two Libra children, three years apart, both girls. You can just imagine what went on in that house every morning! Four shoes—four socks—four feet—and two confused small minds. Until the parents discovered astrology, those little Libra girls went barefoot nearly every day.
It will also help if you remember the reason behind your child’s hesitancy. Libra
boys and girls are born with minds that seek the truth. They’re kind-hearted, and they want to be fair. Your youngster dreads making a mistake or misjudging something. He hates to hurt your feelings, but his nature forces him to seek that balanced answer before he rushes pell mell into things, including socks. Still, that Libra caution builds character and it’s great for avoiding accidents and keeping out of trouble, both now and in the future. Think positive. The little Libran may take so long deciding whether or not to draw a blue turkey on your living room wall, you’ll catch him before the damage is done.
If your Libra youngster is being falsely accused of stubbornness, it may be that you keep the volume too high on the radio or TV. Perhaps the colors in his bedroom lie behind his restlessness at night. Garish, clashing tones will keep his emotional scales dipping back and forth. All shades of blue and pastels will quiet him, and it really works, too. Play music—but softly—when you want him to eat, get dressed or pick up his toys. If the sounds and colors around the Libran child are discordant, his actions will match. Being forced to be a witness to any kind of violence can destroy something deep inside him forever. Even as an infant, he’ll jerk or tremble if he hears a sudden noise. The Libra child needs peace, quiet and rest in large doses.
Linda Goodman's Sun Signs Page 30