Like all creatures, we live only for a short time and then pass into oblivion from whence we came. Our immense blessing is to be aware of this, because together with fear and grief come joy and compassion.

Happiness is easy. All it takes is to be one with the universe, like a bird. Joy is more difficult. It requires conscious finitude and transcendence at the same time.

It has become fashionable to deconstruct the self, to “get out of story”, realize cosmic oneness in “the moment”, and be “present” in relationship. These contrivances too are easy.

What is difficult is to be in love with someone: lonely and connected; insignificant and eternal; guilty and forgiven; afraid and monumental.

This description fits the definition of limerence, an acutely painful disorder which it is fashionable to identify with a wound we need to heal, by dealing with our “stuff”, by doing “deep work”. In fact, limerence exists only in the mind of the friend in Justfriendistan, the one who is not in love.

Our wound is our humanity, people. We were born to carry it and know it. Our most precious moments are our most finite, our most grievous and most joyous, those moments when life explodes like the galaxy in a death-black sky.

Raphael, the archangel, is the archetype of healing, but do not understand him as one who makes suffering go away. Raphael heals the avoidance of suffering. He returns eyesight to the blind. His sarcasm stings to remind you that you are not a fool, not a baby, not a coward. How dare he, indeed! And how dare you pretend your finitude is not happening!

Venus will be free of Justfriendistan Saturday, and while the Moon sinks humbly into irrelevance, Venus, goddess of love, will once again be the resplendent Morning Star, a naked warrior, and worthy Jupiter is above the horizon.

Praise of the ground of our creatureliness is Regulus’ reward.