retrograde

i have come to the point now where i can just sense what is happening in the sky above me, or at least more specifically, when mercury goes retrograde. it is only the tinyest of things that makes me question this small planet's orientation.

i can see when the most innocuous statements uttered in a moment of thoughtless oblivion are contorted to mean, G_d-only-knows-what in the mind of the listener. just today when the furnace man came out to replace some small & yet tremendously over-priced circular plastic part, subsequent to his question of "does she bite?" & seeing the fear in his eyes.. i said to him "don't worry, i won't let the dog bite you." he looked at me as if insulted and said, "you won't LET her bite me?!" at which point i could not help but wonder, what did he mean? what could have possibly been offensive in what i said?

then later this evening when responding in writing to a blog post, i realized the vast potential to misconstrue my comments. i saw the potential for coming off cold and cerebral when the intention was to present a spark or a seed of relief, which can probably only be nurtured in the fertile soil of a receptive soul. the seed itself bears no emotion, but has the potential to grow into some flowering or fruit-bearing tree.

well, this is all what prompted me to check and see if mercury was retrograde because it just all had that certain feel to it. lo and behold the little planet started spinning backwards earlier this week! it seems after a point, one just comes to know what it feels like when communication does not flow in the expected direction.

even now i may be lax to write this during such a precarious time for communicating.. but then again, what is the spirit behind this change of direction for the planet that rules communication? here is an opportunity to move in another direction & to try something new from a different perspective.

so now i am noticing that when mercury is retrograde i have the opportunity to think differently about whatever it is that presents itself. i can try not to offend anyone, but it seems kinda inevitable that someone will take offense. at least i can be aware of the myriad of possibilities available with the new direction.