For the Chinese, this might be the Year of the Pig, the Earth Pig in particular, an animal we might not consider particularly smart, but celebrated nonetheless by all and sundry for its quirky nature and delectable taste, if you happen to like that sort of thing. For me though, it has definitely been the Year of the Ladybug, or Ladybird, whichever you prefer, for my house has been inundated with these delightful little creatures all year, popping up in the most unlikely places. Nearly drank one the other day in a glass of water left on the kitchen bench overnight. No matter how hard he bug-paddled there was no way he was going to make it out again, so yet another rescue mission was launched.
The Pig is the twelfth sign
in the Chinese zodiac, a symbol of wealth, and those born in its year can
supposedly look forward to a life where they will be favoured with good skills at
socialising and maintaining interpersonal relationships. As I delved deeper
into the expected individual characteristics of those born at this juncture of
the cycle, I came across an entire lowdown on ‘Careers fit for Pigs,’ rather
unfortunate wording I thought. I then wondered what those born next year can
look forward to in terms of ‘Careers fit for Rats.’ Doesn’t sound like a future
I’d like to pursue.
Apparently, I was born in
the Year of the Tiger, so I’m supposed to be a born leader, brave, forceful,
full of fiery passion, power and stateliness. That is so not me. I’ve never bothered
to consult my star sign either to see if Sagittarius is in someone else’s moon or
house and therefore will have some influence on what happens to me this week.
If I did believe in the power of zodiac signs, I would like to have been born
in the Year of the Ladybug. Small, quiet and unassuming, usually hidden from
view but going about its business without seeking attention, removing
destructive pests with a minimum of fuss, contributing to the health of the
environment, and making people smile when they come across it quite by chance.
Some of that describes me to
a tee, not sure about the pest eradication role though. I’m happy to get stuck in
when faced with all sorts of mess, but if the opposing force needing to be
dealt with is of the human variety I’ll run a mile rather than deal with
confrontation.
When it comes down to it,
life is what you make it. Our actions pay testament to those forces we allow to
influence our lives and the direction we take, whether we choose to be
optimists or pessimists, contributors or users, self-aware or self-absorbed. For
good or bad, situations beyond our control come our way which have the
potential to either present us with unforeseen opportunities, or throw us
completely off our axis. Such moments test our courage, resolve, and character.
No matter what life throws at us though, we can still choose how we respond.
When things don’t go as
planned, we can buckle at the knees, become overwhelmed, angry, bitter,
vengeful, looking at every turn for someone to blame for our troubles. Initial
reactions to trauma or any type of personal tragedy are instinctual, but as
reality sinks in and we gain some perspective, we often discover there are
untapped wells of strength, courage and ability inside us on which to draw.
Daring to see beyond the pain to a future where our experiences can contribute
to the healing of both ourselves as well as others on similar journeys, can be
the impetus to get us moving again.
And when positive
opportunities present themselves, we’re not normally in the habit of simply
thanking our lucky stars. Rarely do such moments just land in our laps. There
are no shortcuts to realising our dreams, so when things do fall into place,
more often than not it’s the result of our diligence, persistence and good
judgment, both personally and interpersonally, that sees us reap the benefits.
While I’ve been musing over all this, my resident ladybug has trekked around the desk, up and over pens and notebooks, oblivious to where my mind has wandered just by making its appearance. Thought I’d lost him, or her, but there it was, right near my hand on the edge of the desk, waiting patiently to be rescued and put back outside in amongst the plants. So roll on, Year of the Ladybug, I’m honoured to host your adventurous forays into my domain, and more than happy to align myself with your exquisite characteristics.
