St. Patrick lived so long ago -- from about the year 390 to 461 -- that his life has been surrounded by legend, much of it stemming from the easy Irish way with exaggeration. No, St. Patrick was not Irish. He was born in England. No, he did not drive the snakes out of Ireland. Ireland still has snakes. No, he did not explain the Trinity by plucking one shamrock and showing folks its three leaves. (He couldn't have explained the Trinity, because no one has yet been able to explain the Trinity. You either believe there are Three Persons in One God, or you don't. It's a matter of faith, not reason.) And no, he didn't convert Ireland, single-handedly, to Catholicism. He began the Irish mission, perhaps, in 435, but it took generations of missionary-monks to finish the job. Patrick was born in the west of England, somewhere between the mouths of two rivers, the Severn and the Clyde. His father was a deacon; his grandfather was a priest. While still a boy, he was captured by Irish pirates and taken into slavery for six years, until he was able to escape and make his way back to England. There, he went into training for the priesthood, then was off to Ireland, where the natives dressed in animal skins. From his base at Armagh (still the primatial see in Ireland), Patrick was most concerned with the abolition of paganism, idolatry and sun worship. He made no class distinctions for his people and in his preaching. And he himself was ready for imprisonment or death in his following of Christ.

Model: Patrick's simplicity. He was not a man of great learning. But he used the intelligence he had to great effect. And he was loyal -- to the Church, and to his people.

Airborne. If you were born on March 17, your life is full of flyng, floating, dancing, and
movement. You are quite capable of losing yourself in any activity or experience. Ruled by the
number 8 and the planet Saturn, you material wealth and charm others.

Be sociable. You are at your best when you are involved in a cause that allows you to mix and mingle. Without such social involvement, you tend tobecome withdrawn, oblivious of the cares and concerns of the world. At
some point you must emerge from this hole and show your true colors.

Stop bouncing. You must learn to focus your energies on one task at a time instead of flitting about from one to another. You must also toughen your backbone to make sure your projects and your reputation make it through
the gauntlet of life.

Youthful enthusiasm. You promote all that is fresh and new in this world, and tend to reject
moldy ideas and conventions. Unfortunately, you may run
into fate or the old boy network, who have a tighter grip on the reins of power. It is a true test of your maturity to stay optimistic and energized while learning practical ways to make your plans work.

Slip out the back door. To avoid being caught by responsibility, you are very good at eluding those who wish to ground you. For awhile your friends and family may be amused by your sidestepping and gyrations but eventually will pin you down
to shoulder some of the burdens of daily living.

Some advice: Put more sustained effort into your endeavors. Ground yourself in rigors
of daily living, without losing your fun, enthusiastic side.

Also born on this day:
Rudolf Nureyev (Russian dancer)
Nat King Cole (Singer, jazz pianist)
James Irwin (US astronaut)
Thomas K. Mattingly (US astronaut)
Anna Williams (developed diptheria antitoxin)
Sammy Baugh (Redskins quarterback)
Bobby Jones (golfer, Masters tournament founder)
Paul Horn (jazz flutist, sax, clarinet)
John Sebastian (folk-rock singer, songwriter)
Gottlieb Daimler (German carmaker, engineer)
Mercedes McCambridge (actress)
Kurt Russell (actor)