Heading: The year of the Ox
Subheading: Slow and steady wins the race.
We are, just now, reaching the end of the year of the rat and it has proved true to form with the economic downturn and financial crisis. For the rat, is great, in times of paucity, drought and starvation – a great provider when things are scarce. How have you coped in the year of the rat? Are you feeling bereft of your usual sense of security or have you refocused your sense of values to the simpler things in life? Down sized your expectations and let go of the longer term life view – and perhaps you are finding joy in the company of friends and family. Enjoying a good meal or a good book and making do with a sense of surviving to live another day, until the winds change and you might raise up the energy for another foray forward.
The spectre of 2009 looms before us and the dreaded ‘R’ word – recession is whispered around the world, with all its negative implications for continuing prosperity. The year of the ox brings with it no lightning fast resurrection of the markets but more a stolid one foot in front of the other approach to living. This will be an attention to detail kind of year, where progress can be made, slowly and with steady intention. The year of the ox will bring success to those that persevere and tether their camels. Starting again at the beginning, can be initially, a melancholy business but it is what is needed to get back into the game of life. The ox does what is required, works hard and pulls the dray to get those crops in and growing. Patience comes to the fore and the work will pay rewards in the end but is a no get rich quick scheme.
Indeed this year is the year we need to have in response to the ‘greed squeeze’ factors, which have put us all where we are – cap in hand- so to speak. Regulation and appreciation of just rewards are on the menu in 2009 – Wall St cowboys and the Howard years are well and truly over. Get used to a return to the values of yesteryear – an honest return for an honest day’s work! Welcome to the year of the ox.
©Sudha Hamilton.
