HOROSCOPE

(May 18 Friday)

Mercury and Saturn Signal Good Fortune Anyone can get lucky once, but when happiness is the result of very specific circumstances and very personal hard work, the spoils are evermore satisfying. Today’s good fortune will be augmented by communicative Mercury and Saturn, the planet of hard lessons, forming a lucky trine while the day is just starting to come together.

ARIES (March 21-April 19). Preferences don’t automatically make a thing superior or inferior. A better fit doesn’t mean a thing is objectively a better item; it’s just a better item for the person it fits.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). Stories have big power, but only if they are believed. If they are told well, they often are believed whether or not they are true. That’s why it’s important to ask, “Who stands to gain from this?” about every story you hear.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). This is the kind of day when “just do it” applies best. If you’re reasonably sure the action will benefit all (or at least that it will harm none) go ahead. If you waste time explaining or asking permission, you’ll miss your chance.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). Would you rather learn from experience or gain from experience? It’s a trick question. To learn is o gain. And when you apply the learning, you’ll find it’s worth more than gold.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). Because you expect more of yourself than most people do, it sometimes feels like you’re failing on a larger scale. But you’re much further along than you would be had you not taken on such a big challenge. Cut yourself some slack.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). In theory, you can work on your inner life through meditation, reading, selfless service and education. Would it surprise you if enjoy- ment, pleasure and self-interest also lead to mental improvement?

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). The helium of emotion is so weightless you’re not even aware you’re carrying it around with you. And yet, when you encounter those who need your compassion, you have plenty to give.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). There have been times in your life when you were unhappy but couldn’t pinpoint the source. Today will bring the opposite experience. Where is this happiness coming from? Don’t ask. Just go with it. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). The company you keep will not only affect the outcome of your projects today, it will also change you at your core. Happy, supportive people will remind you to smile and accept yourself.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). A change of venue can make a big difference to your productivity. Maybe you can’t cut out distractions, but being around a different set of them will work, too. Test this theory. Take your work on the road, or take it home.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). You want to be welcoming and open, but then again, there’s something to be said for making people work for it. Your attention is worth working for, after all, and they will today.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). You’re not driven by other people’s opinions. It’s your own story that drives you. You want that narrative to be great, and its greatness doesn’t depend on the completion, only on your own ability to rise.

TODAY’S BIRTHDAY (May 18). Success is now. It’s not something that’s hanging from the trophies of the future; it’s a satisfaction that comes at the end of today’s mile marker. Remember this and the solar return will bring you abundance beyond your childhood fantasies. The luckiest months financially will be September and November. Libra and Sagittarius adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 30, 4, 41, 7 and 14.

WEEKEND LOVE FORECAST: ARIES: Spiritual wellness is different from other kinds of wellness – make it a requirement for anyone who wants to be with you. TAURUS: You move intentionally. That’s the attractive way. GEMINI: It’s a sad, weird fact of human social- ization that we often don’t want to go to the parties to which we’re invited. Why is that? Something to ponder this weekend.

CANCER: You’re the star of someone’s dreams. LEO: Do you cook? If not, then start. It’s the way to win your love this weekend. VIRGO: People are constantly sending signals, and you’re catching them like crazy. This is why you know more than everyone else.

LIBRA: You’ll get what you need – another ear to corroborate the truth, another eye to validate the beauty.

SCORPIO: Be the one to ask. You’ve nothing to lose.

SAGITTARIUS: Your secret wishes will become not so secret. CAPRICORN: Perceptive people make you feel seen and thus they’re more attractive to you.

AQUARIUS: Holding hands will be an incredibly powerful act of love this weekend.

PISCES: Love is not, in and of itself, a matter of physical match. When you find it with someone physically and chemically compatible with you, this is a bonus.