HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MARK BARETA

                                                         MARK BARETA 

Facebook informs me that today is your birthday. That means that having been born on the 15th of December, you are astrologically speaking, a Sagittarius. Happy birthday to you, Mark Bareta!

The Zodiac has twelve signs, like the twelve sons of Jacob (Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, and Benjamin); like the twelve disciples of Jesus Christ (Simon Peter, Andrew, James , John, Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew, James, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot);  like the twelve tribes of Israel ( the name God gave Jacob) which descended from the sons of Jacob; like the twelve months in the year, and like the twelve hours in a day.

The 12 signs of the Zodiac each fall under one of the four natural elements which are Earth (Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn), Air (Aquarius, Gemini and Libra), Water (Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces); and Fire (Aries, Leo and Sagittarius). 

The birth periods of the 12 signs are 1. Aries      (Mar 21 to Apr 19), 2. Taurus (Apr 20 to May 20), 3. Gemini (May 21 to Jun 20), 4. Cancer (Jun 21 to Jul 22), 5. Leo (Jul 23 to Aug 22), 6. Virgo (Aug 23 to Sep 22), 7. Libra (Sep 23 to Oct 22), 8. Scorpio (Oct 23 to Nov 21), 9. Sagittarius (Nov 22 to Dec 2), 10. Capricorn (Dec 22-Jan 19), 11. Aquarius (Jan 20 to Feb 18), 12. Pisces (Feb 19 to Mar 20).

 Earth signs (Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn) are earthy, have their feet firmly on the ground, are realistic, calculating  and knowledgeable in terms of profitable and frugal management of resources including money. They are  conservative rather than risk-taking, grounded and very much aware of practical realities, reliable and responsible in the sense of being able to take care of their affairs and those of others. They are also logical and therefore a "safe pair of hands", so to speak.

Air signs (Aquarius, Gemini and Libra) are said to be the philosophers and thinkers because of their ability to analyze situations intellectually; they think about the world and humanity constantly and can easily be impervious to and forgetful of insults and attacks directed at them, they tend to be rather detached and undemonstrative when in love, and that makes them sometimes appear to be devoid of emotions. Sometimes, because of their unbridled anxiety to help others, they end up by overdoing it and getting  in trouble in the process.

Water signs (Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces) are particularly emotionally sensitive and have a strong intuitive awareness of other people`s feelings and needs; they are very imaginative but at times can be impulsive rather than logical. They have a natural in-built sonar radar which they use quite efficiently to read other people`s moods and minds and adjust or readjust accordingly. They are usually submerged in their surroundings and generally have a tendency to gravitate towards the home, family and friends. They have a special sensitivity in relationships which helps them to determine accurately when to show warmth to others and when to hold it back. But of the three Water signs, the Cancer excels at knowing the value of money and other resources as well as  using them well.

Fire signs (Aries, Leo and Sagittarius) , which is where you, Mark Bareta the Sagittarius falls, are positive, extrovert, self-expressive, and the most masculine of the 12 signs. The Fire signs are by nature not just “fighters” but “warriors” in their approach to life. They are blunt and frank to a fault in the sense that in their usual straightforward bluntness, they trample on other people`s toes and hurt other people`s feelings without realizing it and in fact, without even meaning to. People graced by fire as you are, are usually “fiery”, very enthusiastic and sometimes even “larger than life” in their approach. They like challenging situations and can take risks where everyone else shies away for fear of failure. Instead, failure spurs them to do more! In fact, the greater the risk, the more exciting it is to them! They are fearless of persons and situations.  However, just like a real fire, the Fire sign person can “burst out of control” if left unchecked. They are also creative, innovative, spontaneous and full of energy. They are self-assured, come across forcefully and appear bossy. But they are also a great inspiration to others, especially the fearful, doubtful and weak-minded!

And now, the Sagittarius that you are, specifically: This individual is curious and energetic, likes traveling and the element of change. Sagittarians are open-minded, philosophical, extrovert, idealistic, generous, and have a sense of humour. They like being outdoors and can find indoor confinements like some kind of “imprisonment”. They are optimistic and will do anything to achieve their goals. Just like  the other  two Fire signs (Leo and Aries), the Sagittarius feels the urge to be constantly in touch with the world and experience as much of it as possible. They have an enthusiasm that knows no bounds and they consequently have a great degree of curiosity. They value and treasure their freedom because it is the one  thing that guarantees  what they always want to do such as traveling  and challenging  the status quo and the establishment for being too rigid and out of date. Because of their high degree of honesty and sincerity, they tend to be impatient and tactless when it comes to saying or doing things. 

Sagittarius people  believe in speaking the truth and often they speak it rather “brutally”. As a result, some of the things they say come our too harshly and hurt people. But Sagittarians always say what they mean and mean what they say.  If there is a lesson they need to learn, it is that of being tolerant and being able to express themselves in a way that is more “socially” acceptable. That is why normally, they will say anything they want to say, no matter how undiplomatically it may come out and sound like. No one can  force them to do anything they don`t want to do. Unfortunately, They tend to take things for granted and take unnecessary risks. Often, this “careless” approach to life exposes them to a lot of disapproval and criticism. They don`t like clingy people or ideas, they don`t like to be constrained by anything or anybody, they don`t like off-the-wall theories and they don`t have enough patience to always wait for details.

Whatever is the case, Sagittarians remain true to themselves. And that is good because such people either do not pretend or are unable to pretend, even if they wanted to.

Mark Bareta, happy birthday to you!