goats

capricorn is the sign of the goat, a determined climber.

many people in my life were born under this sign, and I send birthday wishes to both C and J today.... two pretty great goats. you are both loved.

I, being a cancer, have few things in common with capricorns, but the image of the goat resonates intensely within me . . . as you can probably imagine.

in one interpretation of the capricorn personality, it's said that the question for them is not "can I climb the mountain?" but instead, "which mountain shall I climb?"

I would take this one step further for myself and ask, "which mountain shall I climb first, and then which next, and then which one after that . . . ?"

I am a goat at heart, though I may scuttle sideways at times just like the crab I am. the goat's persistence, determination, and ability to get there are traits that just scream "susan."

today the thought of pedaling my bike up a mountain is pretty foreign. it's rained, sleeted, and snowed today, the clouds parting momentarily and occasionally to reveal sun and blue, then pulling back together and chilling my entire world. the gloves have been on today, then off, then on again, and for the brief moments that I thought january might tease me into crocus form I lit with hope. the sign alerting me that chains or snowtires were required to head up the canyon reminded me that it will be a while before I will choose which hill to climb first.

but choose I will, because the day will come when they spread again before me in an array of beauty, temptation, and challenge. and I will return to form choosing first one, then another, and once again become the goat who knows she will always, eventually, some day, reach the top.