Four Cycles Of The Dog

Year Of The DogThis week, I celebrated the completion of my 48th year on Planet Earth. I was born in 1958, which - according to the Chinese Zodiac - was The Year Of The Dog. Unlike our occidental zodiac of 12 months, the Chinese devised a 12-year cycle, each year denoted by a different animal. Individuals acquire the strengths and weaknesses attributed to the animal associated with their birth year - or so the theory goes. Therefore 1970, 1982, 1994 and 2006 are also Dog years. At 48, I'm celebrating my fourth full cycle and, on this occasion, I've been reflecting on the events of my life at each of the previous three cycles. So many changes - from boy to man, from one love to another, from school to professional career, from child to father - and yet so much good fortune along the way. I look back and count my many blessings.

Looking forward, I wonder what events await me when next the Dog returns. I wonder how many more cycles of the Dog I will witness. Dare I imagine I might see four more - happy and healthy all the way? Time will tell. Life unfolds. As I begin my fifth cycle, I renew a pledge to focus on living in the Here and Now.

Breath in...
Breath out...
Take the next step...