Year of the Tiger

The Chinese new year [and the Tibetan Losar] were this weekend. It is now the Year of the Tiger and I was born in a Tiger year so that means it's my year. [Except I claim not to believe in horoscopes Eastern or Western. On the other I like to say "I'm a Tiger" If I were born in the year of the Rat I would be mum on the matter.]

I just read that not only is the Tiger person very brave but also lucky. And I read the advice that for a Tiger person to keep a tiger in the house brings excellent luck against theft [go figure!] and fire. I'm afraid very few of us Tigers can keep a tiger in our house.

Tigers are seriously endangered as almost everyone knows -- still some greedy people in Southern China are raising tigers to be killed for their body parts which are thought to impart virility to those in need -- and what a hell of a lot of men, the world over, worry about virility. What is wrong with those guys? We don't need more virility in the world, we need more gentleness and love and kindness and the courage, yes, tiger-like courage to express those positive attributes. I know about greed and I loathe it. I looked at pictures in the paper of two tigers in wire cages. They have faces anyone who has a heart would have to love. Do those impotent men totally lack hearts as well as balls?

If I could have a tiger, I would, but as it is I live in an apartment that doesn't even allow house cats. Well, happy new year to all who count the years the Asian way.