Imaginary Belonging

NEPTUNE IN AQUARIUS
Neptune, the planet of illusion, is sitting in Aquarius, sign of friends, in the 7th House, house of social interactions and partnerships. This combination will show an increase in the social world. People will be more open, idealistic, and presenting an image to those that they meet of friendliness.

Fantasy and illusion are powerful motivations in life (see: Fantasy vs. Reality). When it comes to friends, there is one friend that never seems to let you down: the imaginary friend. They're always there for you. They listen when you want them to. They give you advice when you need it. They allow escape for those who don't have other outlets.

For a society that praises individuality and originality, we certainly place strong emphasis on what we have in common with each other. Humans have a deep need to belong. When we don't have a group that makes us feel welcome, we tend to create one. It's a vital part of our survival, derived from our animalistic natures. Wolves run in packs, deer in herds, bees in hives, etc. Yes, we're animals; don't rip my throat out about it.

This seems to be the reason for label creation. While we all profess a hatred of labels, we cling to them because it allows us to belong to a group. Christian, gay, female, Asian-American, senior citizen, student, smart, etc. We are a society that loves to categorize and compartmentalize. It helps us sort out the chaos that is human interaction. We understand people better when we can put them into a box in our minds. Of course, we all belong to different boxes throughout our lives. They're even on the forms that we sign throughout our lives. And it started back in elementary school, didn't it? "Do you like me? Check a box." We love our labels. Else, why would people buy such hideous clothing at such horrendous prices? The label! (Okay, not all expensive clothing is horrible, but you must admit, there are some gauche pieces out there that are worn purely for the label.)

Labels are comforting. They tell us that we're not alone. Others have shared our experiences and have survived. So can we. They had similar concerns. They had similar hopes. Similar dreams. And we can learn from them. It's a powerful motivator for those who feel like they have nowhere else to turn. Of course, some never find their place of belonging and will always turn to the imaginary friend.

Remember: you're unique. Just like everyone else.