My dear Baby Gage, in Chinese Astrology, you were born on the Year of the Tiger and I find the Tiger’s character descriptions quite fitting because intuitively these are the traits that I know you already possess from the moment I laid eyes on you. Having these traits embedded in you already is so magical, so amazing as if the Gods designed our connection - I know it's no coincidence that you came into our life.
In my heart, your birth was a symbol of new hopes, dreams, and aspirations for a better world. It is my wish that you will share my zest for life and compassion for humanity, as well as to advance my profound hope to build stronger communities through people empowerment. I love my life and I live it to the fullest. I exist, not just live. I explore and I experience. And I continue to learn and evolve. In the long run, we shape our lives and we shape ourselves. The process never ends until we die. I will pass on to you the wisdom I continue to learn as your guideposts. The choices you will make will determine your destiny; and those choices are ultimately your responsibility.
My hope for you is to be courageous, responsible, respectful, and resourceful.
Be courageous, brave and strong; to never be afraid of “fear” because fear is the #1 reason that prevents people from succeeding.
Be responsible, reliable, dependable, trustworthy, independent thinker and ability to make sound judgment, taking ownership of everything you do; and be consistent with the way you manage your life both in business and personal.
Be respectful of yourself, your family, friends, acquaintances, co-workers, even strangers. But to respect others, you must love and respect yourself first! Your thoughts and desires are manifested through your actions, like a mirror for others to see. Respect all people; be fair, be just, be honest, be kind, be patient, be empathetic, and be open to understanding and accepting of peoples’ differences; awareness and appreciation of diversity.
Be resourceful, ingenious, imaginative, inventive, quick-witted, creative, and have the initiative to handle difficult situations. Surround yourself with people who are resourceful and strive to learn something new everyday. But make no mistake that no matter the age of the person, what type of work or how long the person has worked; or the type and number of college degrees the persons have; no one could claim that he or she knows EVERYTHING!
My dreams for you are many, but above all is to have peace in your heart; to love and be loved, to make a positive difference in peoples’ lives; and to leave the world a better place than when you found it.
And my aspiration for you is to be someday the President of the United States and the first from the Filipino race. So you see, my Baby Gage, Lola has your life all planned out for you!
Education will be a significant part of your life as you will be learning everyday for as long as you live. Learning and breathing are synonymous. You will obtain your education from home, school, and, most important, from life itself. Learning and living are the same thing. You will learn from each thing you see, each fact you acquire, each person you meet, and each experience you have. There is no experience from which you can’t learn something.
From each experience you will acquire additional strength and confidence within yourself that would prepare you to meet any challenge when it comes your way. It is important to keep the flexibility of mind and the hospitality toward new ideas, to be able to welcome the new flow of thought from wherever it comes, not resisting it, weighing and evaluating, and exploring the strange new concepts that would confront you at every turn.
The learning process must go on as long as you live. When you stop learning you stop living in any vital and meaningful sense. And the purpose of life, after all, is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.
So you see my Baby Gage, how delighted I was to stumble upon this illustration of and about the Year of the Tiger! I think it was made especially for you! You're a blessing from the heavens above, but you still have to earn your stripes!
Why does the tiger have stripes?
There’s an ancient legend that tells the story. When a tiger cub is born, he doesn’t have a single stripe anywhere. In fact to look at him, he really isn’t much of a tiger at all.
Still, the little cub starts to explore and have adventures. He starts to grow, and he starts to learn. He learns courage, and kindness, and how to think for himself. He learns all the things a cub has to learn, if he’s going to really be a tiger, the lord of the jungle.
And as he learns, the legend says, everyone starts to see his stripes. The stripes that are the marks of his maturity, wisdom, and pride.
A tiger who takes a tumble quickly learns to pick himself up and dust himself off.
A cub can feel afraid, it’s only natural. That’s when he finds the courage to face down his fears.
Everyone wants to know what this cub has to say for himself. He tells them, whenever they’ll listen!
A smart cub knows where to find shelter. A kind one makes room and shares it with his friends.
Every creature the curious cub meets is different, every one unique and fascinating.
This cub enjoys nothing better than making new friends and doing things together.
The tiger begins to see his place in the world. He starts to find out who he is, and see all he might do.
Growing stronger, the tiger is proud to be able to help others when they’re in danger.
The path of life has many pitfalls. But the tiger is smart, and solves problems ingeniously.
As he’s growing up, the tiger glad cares for the younger ones.
Climb higher, go further, achieve more. This is the tiger’s creed. He never stops being himself for a moment.
The tiger leads, and others follow because they see his strength and wisdom.
Gage Loren, you are a TIGER!
♥♥♥
