The Leo sun has passed, but Venus and Mars remain in the sign of entertainment to remind us of the value of a good story. You're never too old for one. Just because you've become disillusioned doesn't mean you have to stop believing. To know something is false and still hold it sacred is to live in the complexity of the human mind.

ARIES (March 21-April 19). With great charisma comes great responsibility. Be careful how you wield that today. You want friends and fans, but you don't want people to expect attention from you that you're not willing to give.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). You're highly motivated, but don't make yourself too busy: It will only be counterproductive. You need to be able to assimilate what you're experiencing. Dive in where it's deep enough, within limits — the pool, not the ocean.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). When you don't happen to stumble on happiness, fear not. You can still create it like you're using a favorite recipe: Put in the right ingredients in the right order and you will be happy.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). Though your manners are impeccable, a challenging situation puts them to the test. You'll use your quick reflexes to save someone (or yourself) from imminent embarrassment.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). Getting into love is easy: You just fall. For love to continue, though, efforts must be made. You have to be willing to keep taking risks. Falling happens, mostly, in uncertain territory.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). It has been said that there is no love, only acts of love. This is the perfect moment to show someone you love that you've been listening. Do the exact thing that is most needed or wanted.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). You'll be an equalizing force in the lives of others — a safe place for someone to confide in, a neutral party in the war, the fair hand that deals the spoils. Everyone is counting on your justice... no pressure!

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). Fraternizing with the enemy is obviously a breach in ethics, a disloyal move, a dangerous risk — unless, in doing so, you make the enemy an ally. And just maybe the enemy was never really an enemy at all.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Perfection doesn't win hearts. Sure, people respect the hard work it takes to be masterful. However, it's that intangible something that counts much more.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). It would be so much easier if life would fall into simple categories, but it never does completely. Anyway, you have too many varied interests for narrow-mindedness. Your principles are strong, but your mind is open.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). You were right to put off a task until you felt compelled to take it on. But enough is enough. There's a fine line between inaction and procrastination. Get in there and get it over with.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). The difference between a loan and a gift is that one should be repaid literally, while the other should be repaid in a more creative way. Of the two, the loan will be the easier one to manage.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAY (Aug. 30). Once upon a time you gazed longingly into the wide and distant possibilities. This solar return you'll connect with them. A vibrant relationship will give you wings. There's a financial investment in November — risky and worth it. You're most decisive and persuasive at the close of the year. A healing happens in June. Libra and Virgo adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 9, 40, 33, 38 and 12.

ASTROLOGICAL QUESTIONS: "Holiday, I have had a horrible run of bad luck. First, things went weird on the job, and I got laid off. I was not exactly fired, but I'm not on the schedule until further notice. Then my girlfriend moved out and took most of the stuff, even stuff that wasn't hers. Then I took a job working on commission and I work really hard but earn less than the minimum wage. I feel like I can't catch a break. Do you think it's my planets? My girlfriend used to say that the position of Saturn was pulling me down. I'm a Leo."

Though Saturn does have a magnetic force field, and it is certainly associated with hard knocks, I do not believe that its pull is prompting your bad luck. Some astrologers would disagree. I'm open-minded to a fault, and yet I simply cannot get my head around the concept that the magnetic pull of planets messes up our lives — or makes them better, for that matter. What I do think is that astrology offers a colorful array of mysticism, storytelling and human experience that we can use to look at ourselves and our lives from an objective and creative point of reference. More tomorrow about getting out of this pickle!

CELEBRITY PROFILES: In almost every movie she is in, Cameron Diaz is shown dancing. Perhaps that's because the directors know that the joyful personality of this Virgo superstar (with Mercury in show-stopping Leo) is infectious, and the whole audience will want to dance along with her. Her wide, bright smile recently made Instagram news in a reunion picture with fellow "Charlie's Angels" star, Drew Barrymore.

To write to Holiday Mathis, visit www.creators.com/author/holiday-mathis and click "Contact."