Three girls and an ancient tradition

To celebrate my birthday, my mum and M. took me out to lunch at Dragon Palace. It was more meaningful than an average trip to a Chinese restaurant -- even more monumental than our first trip to a restaurant with the baby. It was, in fact, the passing on of an ancient tradition among the women in my family.

See, some of my favorite memories as a child were spent over tea, egg drop soup and almond chicken at Lim's Chinese restaurant on Michigan Avenue in Dearborn. My mom, grandma and I used to trek over to Lim's on special occasions -- grandma's birthday or mother's day. Going out to eat was a big deal to me because we couldn't afford to do it very often, so I savored every last drop of bitter tea (heavily sugared) and slurped every last bit of my golden yellow egg drop soup. But the best part of the trips was the girl talk. I felt so big, sitting there with my mom and grandma as we chatted about grown-up topics and discussed whether our personalities matched the descriptions (dictated by the year we were born) printed on the colorful placemats. (I -- the year of the Tiger -- was a born leader, courageous but warm-hearted.)

Yesterday marked a new tradition with a new girl in the family. I can't wait for all the dozens of afternoons to come as M. grows into a little girl and also savors that bitter tea over important topics with mom and grandma, like whether M. likes her teachers, is enjoying her French lessons, loves Charles Bukowski (as I do), adores Mint Milano cookies (like grandma) or whether her personality really fits the description written on the colorful placemat for her Chinese zodiac sign -- the year of the rat.


From Chinese.astrology.com...
Though the Western rat is reviled as little more than a bottom-dwelling disease carrier, this animal is viewed much differently in the East. The Eastern rat is revered for its quick wits and its ability to accrue and hold on to items of value; rats are considered a symbol of good luck and wealth in both China and Japan. Clever and quick-witted, the Rat of the Chinese Zodiac is utterly disarming to boot. Possessed of excellent taste, this Sign flaunts its style at every turn. Its natural charm and sharp, funny demeanor make it an appealing friend for almost anyone. The Rat likes to know who is on its side and will treat its most loyal friends with an extra measure of protection and generosity.

Behind that sweet smile, though, Rats are keen and unapologetic promoters of their own agendas. This Sign is motivated by its own interests, which often include money; greed can become a problem if the Rat isn't careful to keep its priorities straight. This Sign's natural powers of charm and persuasion can definitely come in handy! Although they are often hoarders, Rats can be very generous to those in their pack, namely friends and family members who have proven their loyalty. Others might perceive them as quick-tempered and sharp-tongued, but never boorish. Verbal jousting is a great pleasure for the Rat, a Sign that everyone around will quickly learn either to love or to hate.

Rats enjoy being on the outside looking in, as the outside affords a view into the inner workings of a system or situation. The Rat's keen mind always seeks out new knowledge, to be stored away for future use. This ever-curious Sign also welcomes challenges as a way to stay sharp. If boredom sets in the Rat is no fun at all, but that isn't likely; this Sign knows how to keep itself entertained.

A valuable lesson for Rats is to learn to consider others above themselves, at least sometimes. If they can develop their sense of self and realize it leaves room for others in their life as well, Rats could find true happiness.