6 to 60

In the Lunar Calendar, the Year of the Wood Dragon began February 10th. The animal signs are cycled through every 12 years in this calendar but, with five elements, the complete cycle takes 60 years. I was born in the last Wood Dragon Year. And, while I don’t follow astrology, I do find it really interesting to look at a life over these huge 12-year segments—to me, it feels very different than breaking a life into decades. 

Jackpot!  I was born in Canada in 1964 to a family that loved me, valued education, and had the resources to keep me well fed.  Psych 101 for the anxious, overly-sensitive child I became: Due to medical issues, I was separated from my parents for the first nine days of my life.

I had a pivotal road trip with my family in 1976 that included multiple days at “The Happiest Place On Earth” in Anaheim, California. At an appropriate occasion in the early 2000’s when Mom was frustrated with my lack of enthusiasm for something, she zinged: “The last time I saw you get excited about anything was at Disneyland!!!”

Yikes! Just 12 years later in 1988, I’d already been married a year, still very much emotionally immature, still not knowing what to “do with my life,” and starting to hide behind my brilliant husband.

Y2K. Two steps forward, one step back.  I returned to college at 35 in a field where I could get a well-paid job (great!) and moved away from Nova Scotia for the first time, but let myself get pulled into a relationship that I should have avoided at all cost (bad!).

Happy 2012!  What a fantastic year for me. I had stopped expecting someone else to make me happy and, at that point, I’d been enjoying living on my own for five years. I trained to climb Mount Rainier.  I had a wonderful trip to New Mexico with MAC.  I bought a used Jeep Wrangler just for fun.  I bought a Condo all on my own (which turned out to be a great home and a great investment decision). 

So here I am.  2024. April marks six months to my 60th birthday. It feels big.

My little car is now 19 years old (i.e. I’ve had it since I was 40!) and will need a costly repair.  I was absolutely shocked (shocked!) when I saw the current prices for both used and new vehicles, but I need to make a practical decision soon.  Like the little blue hatchback, I too have had a good run but, I admit, since the 59^th birthday, the daily aches and pains have seem magnified. And I can’t trade myself in.

I discovered recently that, in Japan, the 60th is an auspicious birthday called Kanreki that marks the full cycle on the Lunar Calendar and is seen as the beginning of a second childhood. Hmm. For motivation, I think I’ll have another go at middle-age.

References:

• MAC: mon ami Caroline.