What's your sign?

Or animal? Or tree…?

I would consider myself a woman of science. Using logic and reasoning to make sense of the world, well, just makes sense.  But science can only go so far. Science has no explanations for the miraculous, only postulations and weak hypotheses.

That is why I am also drawn to the superstitious and perhaps the supernatural. I can’t say for sure that there aren’t any such things as psychics or ghosts, and I am a gung-ho believer in karma. And wouldn’t you say that reading horoscopes are just the most fun you can have as a pre-teen girl at a sleepover (besides boy-talk and makeovers, of course)?

I’ll admit that I follow my horoscope every once in a while. I’m a Libra, even though now with this new astrological sign thrown in, I guess I would be a Virgo (which I’ve always identified more with). According to my Chinese zodiac, I’m an ox and I shouldn’t marry a Tiger or Horse. Though these are familiar to most of us, I recently stumbled upon a site that likened your date of birth to a tree. Here’s what my birthday equals:

The Extraordinary! I'm just saying.. (Sorry it's so small. Click on it to be taken to the site.)

It’s so much fun to read horoscopes because we really like to think that these random assignments are actually a peak into our soul. When we were born may have everything to do with our personality.  The combination of the year (Chinese Zodiac), month (astrological sign) and day (tree) I was born makes me a creative, shy, intelligent, conventional, spinsterish, observant, shrewd, patient, emotionally cold, quick-tempered and outspoken person who is slow to form relationships, works well in a team but is best suited as a leader.

Though I do exhibit, to some extent, all of these characteristics, can I safely say that these sorts of things accurately describe all of me and just me (and the others born the same date as me) or are all horoscopes so vague as to be applicable to anyone? I would like to say that I am unique and that no one else can be just like me. But I don’t think it all has to do with the day I was born.

After all, I am a woman of science and when I factor in my parents’ personalities and those of the people I surround myself with, it shouldn’t be any wonder I am who I am.

Listen Sammi. Science is a great equalizer in that people can be broken down into component parts and those parts quantified and compared to the whole. But wonder is the great mobilizer. Mystery is what drives science to ask questions and finds answers. As long as you keep questioning, the answers will come, in some form or another. Ask “why” and don’t accept just “because."