When no one is looking through a telescope, it's merely an instrument. What makes it a telescope is the eyes and mind of the astronomer. Aries alignments involving Mercury, Saturn and Mars are an excellent reminder that the one who makes your life animate is you. The scene isn't happening around or to you. It's happening because of you. You are the scene.

ARIES (March 21-April 19). Your attention is a precious commodity that you give generously. It's as though your eyes can send love, your ears can hear the truth through everything, and your heart has no limits to how far it can extend.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). What you do affects people you don't know, perhaps people far across the world, and you'll once again be made aware of that effect. You'll learn more about it. Your curiosity builds bridges.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Some people avoid responsibility because they haven't seen a great example of it yet. When they do that, it's not about you. The best thing you can do is just show what stepping up looks like. It looks good on you, and they'll follow suit.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). There's a reason they call it a "perfect" stranger. Every stranger is a blank slate for people to project their wishes and fears onto. A stranger is ripe for the casting into roles that fit the hopes, fears and current mood of those around them.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). Even with matters that seem urgent, you have patience. Your methodical approach simply works better for today's situations. Unhurried movement prevents mistakes. Your steady pacing builds momentum instead of pressure.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). Today, the borders are much easier to make out than the possibilities. And yet, you still see the possibilities. The heart of hope beats within you. It kind of feels like everything is a "maybe" or a "could happen."

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). There's a dicey interaction today. You don't just handle it well; you understand it while it's happening, adapt, then close it with grace. That's emotional maturity in motion. It wins you trust and fans.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). What is stopping you from loving where you are? Maybe there's something to let go of there, whether it's an idea about your role, a judgment, a score or an angry thought. Drop it and love will rush in to take its place.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). You trade in an old game that stopped being fun a long time ago for a fresh challenge. Even if you lose at first, you'll have more fun losing at something new than succeeding at something old.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). You don't rely on being impressive to be valued. Your presence, humor and awareness carry enough weight on their own. That makes your connections more durable and less dependent on performance.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). You recognize when someone shifts their tone into one of authority or takes a position of dominance. Maybe you don't like it, but you also recognize they could be reacting out of fear or insecurity, and it says more about them than you.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). You're managing a fair amount of responsibility for problems that were never your fault and circumstances that no one could have seen coming, least of all you. But this is what love is sometimes — showing up and handling things.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAY (April 20). Welcome to your Year of Self-Creation. Through actions, wishes, exercises, work and reflection, you'll become someone navigating a life you once only dreamed about. More highlights: Your support system and your family tree will expand. Grand gestures will punctuate a love story, though the story itself will play out in small, daily graces. You'll travel and receive prize money. Taurus and Gemini adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 12, 10, 3, 16 and 2.

CELEBRITY PROFILES: On the heels of a successful Broadway run, Jessica Lange will return to television to reprise her role as Constance Langdon in the highly anticipated new season of "American Horror Story." From "King Kong" to "Tootsie" to "American Horror Story," Lange brings a captivating complexity to every role. On the day of her birth, the sun, Mercury and Venus were in Taurus, the sign of sensuality and luxury.

For more Holiday magic, visit HolidayMathis.com. To find out more about Holiday Mathis and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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