The Year of Everything?

It has been a weird year, thus far, so I decided to check the Chinese calendar. It is currently the year of the snake which is supposed to be a year of wisdom, growth and creativity. And yet there seems to be so much turmoil around.

Even close to home, the University which employs me continues to undertake staff cuts and restructures. A lot of people are worried and stressed. Fortunately, my position has been declared safe, thus far, but I have seen long-term colleagues leave, both by choice and through forced redundancy.  I think that most of those who left by choice would not have done so if they hadn’t foreseen the threat of their redundancy on the ever-nearing horizon.

But it has created anxiety, stress, and moments of lower morale. That is, of course, only to be expected.  I’d like to think I’ve handled it reasonably well, but it will always have some effect on us.

I read the Chinese Horoscope a little further, and while it does indeed say that this is a year of wisdom, growth and creativity, it also states that it is a year of transformation, renewal and long-term planning. Hopefully, after that, is the time for the other aspects; reflection, strategy, resilience, intuition, growth and creativity.

Ah, the Chinese sure have all bases covered this year!