I have a rather hyper-respect for fire. I was around the age of three and living with my grandmother and her second husband, when I witnessed her being engulfed in flames. It was a terrifying experience. She was a strong woman though, and by the grace of god, survived and lived into her eighties. Prior to that experience, when I was still living with my mother and father, I decided to iron my doll’s clothes while my mother went into another room. The resulting burn scar on my arm can still be seen. There have been other incidents since those early childhood ones; which incite me to remain vigilant when confronted with anything that becomes hot enough to burn. While water and air are necessary for our survival, fire can be one of the deadliest elements, if not handled carefully. The sun, that is so vital to people, as well as plants, can also burn. Fire can be a mysterious thing. It can appear with the simple strike of a match or disappear in a strong gust of air. The water vapor from our lungs coupled with carbon dioxide when we blow out a candle, deprives the fire of its fuel.
Like us, fire requires oxygen to survive. With its dependence on air, it is not surprising that those born under fire signs are often compatible with air signs. I like to credit myself for having encouraged my three daughters to be best friends as well as sisters, but it’s possible that their bond is simply the compatibility of the air and fire influences under which they were born. Fiery personalities tend to be impulsive, optimistic, exuberant, and fearless. They bring color to what might otherwise be a grey or colorless world.
It is easy to see how we can have a love/hate relationship with fire. Too little of its warmth leaves us cold and miserable; while too much can harm or even kill us. Water may not at first seem to be threatening, but enough of it can put fire in its place when it gets out of hand. A person born under a water sign may appear pale in the shadow of a fire sign’s radiance, and they may actually repel one another; but the compatibility of zodiac influences is surprisingly similar to companion planting in the garden. Some plants are protective to other plants, such as basil, which protects tomatoes from tomato hornworms. Marigolds help to repel beetles, nematodes, and other animal pests from most garden plants. Nasturtiums will lure aphids away from your beans, making them an excellent trap plant. Dill, parsley, cilantro, and other members of the carrot family, offer food and hosting to numerous butterflies while attracting beneficial predator insects. Some plants have a distinctive dislike for one another, like anise, which will stunt the growth of carrots. Rue and basil do not like each other and some other plants, when planted next to one aother, simply will not thrive.
Sometimes human beings are forced into situations with others with whom they do not get along. This can be a brother/sister relationship, or a co-worker relationship, or a child and a step-parent. Whether it is due to our astrological differences, or more subtle innuendo, we must find ways to adapt. Many plants will survive in unsavory conditions, but until they are among beneficial companions, they cannot truly thrive. Human beings can survive in the company of those they would prefer not to be with; but when surrounded by friends of like mind, their potential is immeasurable. While I am not particularly drawn to those people with fire sign traits, the fire of their passion can often be contagious. Like the color red, our eyes are naturally drawn to it. If we are to live in harmony with fire, we must establish our boundaries, whether it is physical fire or the fire emanating from someone we know. Fire is vital to our survival, but it commands our respect. Its burn can be merciless, yet, even when it has reduced all to ashes, new life will spring forth. Oak forests will re-grow and emerge from the rubble, an humans will be reborn.
