happy 2012

hello friends!  did you notice that i did NOT wish you a 'happy new year'?  that's because i have decided that, as this year is the chinese year of the dragon, and i was born in a dragon year, i will be celebrating on january 23rd -- the beginning of the chinese new year.  in large part that's due to acknowledging that my traditional new year's reflections come with the hope that maybe, finally, this year will be the year that everything will change for the better.  and every year, it's not.

don't worry. that doesn't mean i've abandoned that hope, or hope in general...it's just in the process of being....realigned.

it has been interesting--and sad--watching the social media sites for the last 24 hours.  i've noticed that almost every person who posted a 'happy new year' declaration, followed it by commenting on how  difficult 2011 had been.  it seems that there has been a lot of unexpected death, a lot of jobs lost, loves lost, desires and goals unfulfilled.

i suppose i'm grateful that i don't fall into the '2011 was the worst year ever' category, but i can't say that it was a really great year for me either.  there were some high highs and some low lows.  i had some truly amazing experiences and some heartbreaking disappointments, and mostly i feel like 2011 was a year of stagnation.

and that is why this year i will celebrate the chinese new year (despite not having any real reason to do so).  the dragon is a powerful symbol in chinese astrology, and though i was born under the fire dragon, 2012 is a water dragon year.  predictions and descriptions for the upcoming dragon year include the following:

Those born in the Year of the Dragon can look forward to a year of new beginnings, and good fortune. According to the 2012 Year of the Dragon horoscope, anyone who is born in the year of the dragon will be very lucky. That could mean the start of a happy marriage, the beginning of a successful business, or a lucky lottery win. 

Water has a calming effect on the Dragon's fearless temperament. Water allows the Dragon to re-direct its enthusiasm, and makes him more perceptive of others. These Dragons are better equipped to take a step back to re-evaluate a situation because they understand the art of patience and do not desire the spotlight like other Dragons. Therefore, they make smart decisions and are able to see eye-to-eye with other people.

these descriptions are a near perfect encapsulation of my hopes for 2012.  i hope to re-evaluate and adjust accordingly. i hope for new beginnings. i hope to reform, strengthen, and build new relationships.  i hope for good fortune and a little 'luck'.  i hope to be a better practitioner of patience, and most of all, i hope to make smart decisions and to see the positive results.