Late one night back in 1926, Grace bundled her two small children into her car and fled Memphis, Texas for good. She’d had enough of her no-good husband and was determined to start a new life in Corpus Christi. The young mother, who had never worked outside the home, spent her last $40 on renting a small apartment and buying groceries. Then she boldly applied for a position at a fancy dress shop.
By the time she got home, the phone was ringing. “Do you do alterations?” asked the dress shop manager. “Oh yes!” Grace replied, though the only sewing she’d ever done was for her kids. A customer wanted a size 40 dress cut down to a size 20. “I knew I couldn’t do that,” she confided to me years later. “But I told them I could, so I had to do it.”
Grace got a size 20 pattern, and stayed up all night remaking the dress. The customer was thrilled – it was a perfect fit. “See what you can do when you have to?” Grace marveled. “Somehow, it gives you the strength to do it.”
My grandmother kept that job for years before she moved to San Diego and opened her own dress shop, Plaids and Fads. A stylish Libra with a creative, entrepreneurial Leo Moon, she had found her calling. But it never would have happened if she hadn’t found the chutzpah to declare herself capable of remaking that dress, then go on to prove it. I don’t know the exact date, but I’d bet it occurred near a lunar eclipse in Leo (there was one in January of 1926). An eclipse to one’s Moon can be challenging, but can also spur courageous action and breakthroughs. Much like retrograde planets, which actually gain power and impact as they move backward, eclipsed planets – especially in Leo – become determined to prove their worth and protect what is theirs (in Grace’s case, my dad and aunt).
Whether or not your Moon is in Leo, the upcoming total lunar eclipse (January 31, 5:27 a.m. PST) is apt to be a defining moment. Creativity will be intensified. Emotions may run wild. This has been called a “blue moon” eclipse because it’s the second Full Moon in January, but that’s merely a fluke of the Gregorian calendar and not astrologically significant. However, it is a Super Moon, appearing 14 percent bigger and 30 percent brighter than usual. And, being total, it will have that haunting, rusty glow of a “blood moon.” So this is definitely a Full Moon to be reckoned with.
Ceres, the “Great Mother” asteroid, will conjunct the Moon, so further devastation of Mother Earth may be in the spotlight – along with ingenious solutions. The Sun and Venus in social activist Aquarius oppose the Moon, calling comrades to band together and make their heartfelt desires known. This is a North Node eclipse, pulling us toward our destiny. It asks us to open our hearts, identify what we care about most and take action to protect it. Follow my intrepid grandma’s lead and trust that no matter what’s up for you, you will find the strength to master it.
Great post, Simone! Good to hear about the courage of your ancestors.
Thanks Natori! This should be a big lunation for you, with your Leo Moon…let me know how it goes.
Very inspiring story!! Thank you for sharing…we need more of these empowering stories of women <3!!
Thanks so much, Gema! I interviewed my grandma on tape and typed it up so I could remember all the details of her colorful stories!
Absolutely lovely, and uplifting!! You resemble your grandmother…you share the same beaming smile.
Aww…thank you so much Carol – nobody has ever told me that before! I certainly did adore her, and both my dad and I got her creative streak. 🙂 Glad you were inspired by her story!
I thought exactly the same thing! Remarkable resemblance. Thanks for another well written blog Simone
Interesting! Glad you enjoyed the blog, Bridgie!
I loved hearing about your grandmother! Good for her!!
I’d love to have that kind of astro or moon support with this exclipse. I need to move, but where and with what? Perhaps there is something in the Stars for me too!
Blessings!
Thanks Sharona! This blog seems to really have struck a nerve…I’ll have to tell my family tales more often! And I’m sure there’s something significant in the stars for you right now. Would love to help you navigate it – check out my offerings: http://astroalchemy.com/schedule-a-consultation/
Loved this story. Thanks. I have Leo rising, so I’m sure it’s affecting me.
Yes indeed, Melody! Glad you enjoyed the blog and happy eclipse!
I also loved the story of your grandmother! Thank you for sharing her courageous and inspiring story.
So glad you liked it, Kim! Happy eclipse…
Thank you for this post. It’s very inspiring.
You’re so welcome, Farrah!
I loved this story! So inspiring. Thank you, I always love your blog.
I’m so happy that Grace’s story is inspiring so many people! Many blessings to you…
Thank you for your wisdom! From what I can see the Moon eclipses at 11* Leo. My Venus is at *7 Leo. Being that the aspect is separating, would this have much effect on me? Should we count separating aspects or only applying aspects with Eclipses? Light to you!
That’s a great question, Courtney! The traditional wisdom is that applying transits are much stronger than separating ones, in which case this eclipse might not have a big effect. However, the proof is in the pudding. Affirm your Venus-related desires, and tell that eclipse to go to work for you! It’s all about the intention, right? I’m in the same boat…my Jupiter is 7 Leo. Already I’m feeling some expansive Jupiterian energies…but who knows how much stronger it might be if the eclipse were at 3 Leo rather than 11? With benefic planets, though, you can’t go wrong either way!
LOVE this real life story from your family archives Dear Simone! So inspiring! I have heard other such stories in which someone said yes
to a job that they really did not know how to do and it changed their trajectory forever! We should all be willing to do this. Thanks for so
generously sharing and accurately recording her inspiring tale!
You’re so welcome, Linda! At the time I recorded her tales I had no idea I’d be using one in this context, but it just seemed to fit!
Thanks for introducing us to your grandmother, Simone! Today’s powerful lunation caught me under the weather with plenty of time to binge-listen to COMPETING AGAINST LUCK (Clayton M. Christensen) and thus celebrate creative processes I can offer in service for jobs-to-be-done. Godspeed.
Hope you feel better, Judy! But certainly appropriate subject matter for a lunar eclipse in Leo!