Generations

Pluto will hit Capricorn again, been there, done that, coming up again in another month or so. I was thinking about this, not from a Capricorn perspective, but from a coffee shop owner point-of-view.

Around 1959, Saturn entered the tropical zodiac sign of Capricorn. In 1960, both Jupiter and Saturn were playing tag in Capricorn.

Now consider, folks a certain generation, how they all have their natal Pluto in Virgo. That natal placement of Pluto was slammed by Saturn, in this last year or so. A shake up, maybe a wake up. Maybe not. In more than one example, I’ve seen clients with Transiting Saturn conjunct Natal Pluto while Transiting Pluto was conjunct Natal Saturn.

I was told a story about how more and more people are dropping out to follow some dream, a lawyer who opens up a coffee shop, an executive who dreams of opening a book shop. These transits of first Saturn and then Pluto could trigger such idealism. I don’t want to belittle anyone’s dream, either, but, I knew a guy who ran an ideal coffee shop. Perfect. Perfect ambience, perfect place, and most important, really good coffee. Gen-X Sagittarius, if there must be labels. He made the coffee on the cover of my book, Pink Cake.

His closing comments are telling, “Man, I’ve never worked so long and so hard for so little. I guess this town isn’t ready for quality.”

I admired his tenacity and work ethic, and I liked the way he ran the place on a tight budget. He tried a few things, but once again, it was more work than it was worth. Places like that, the coffee shop? Or the book store idea? The economics of a small, mom-and-pop store just isn’t good in the face of modern, streamlined commerce. With the supply line tightly wrapped to the fickle consumer’s palette.

But this isn’t about the end of the small stores, it’s about following one’s dream. The executive who retired to run a small, specialty bookshop? Inventory was basically his own library, and the buy and selling was just sort of like a little bonus. Then there’s the point where the specialty shop, after struggling for many years? They hit a vein of gold in the backyard. That was a place in Austin, a true labor of love that had Austin grow up around it.

While these are examples, I’m unsure that older grouping – Satrun/Jupiter in Capricorn, is willing to go back to washing dishes and mopping floors as that’s all part of what is required in a small business. I’m unsure that the retired professional really wants clean the toilets in the store – perforce toilets that are open to the public and subject to abuse.

It’s a tricky balance point.

Then, too, what prompted this astrological meander, is that there’s a whole grouping of people who fit this, and not too many of them are in position to “drop out,” much less have the operating capital to open a small business.

And just how’s that effecting them? The question is, if you love doing something, what are you willing to do in order to support that love, in order to (figuratively) put bread on the table?