2009 - The Year of the Ox
In China on any propriety development the first thing to be installed is always the road. The belief is that this will encourage the flow of energy into the area and that the project will then progress more smoothly. I have witnessed this first hand and my observation is that the building site is clean, clutter free, everything in its rightful place and a clarity exists that supports a clear vision of the development of the project, happy faces on the workforce and deadlines achieved with ease.
In a nutshell this for me is the lesson of the year for 2009, build the road first and ensure a successful outcome. We have often heard it said ‘don’t run before you can walk’ and in truth there could be no better philosophy for this is a year when patience will be a virtue. The Ox is generally a very sedate fellow and on the whole the energy of the year will be slow. This does not mean the Ox is lazy it is simply that he is very thorough, very reliable and certainly one to ‘keep his head when all around are loosing theirs’.
In terms of the current economic climate this means we will have to wait a while for the politicians and financial institutions to bring about more stability which will come in the fullness of time when the firm foundation stones have been laid. For now our best plan is to have our goals in sight and without fail to be sure to keep our eye on that goal but our priority has to be to get the energy to the project first and foremost. In other words the property developer does not need to concentrate on selling his houses but needs to pay more attention to getting the people to the area in the first place.
This is the energy of the Ox, very hard working, very conscientious and much focused. He has a tough act to follow as the last two years have been decidedly turbulent. The Pig of 2007 was one to unearth any shortcomings or weak links, the Rat of 2008 then following this energy through by rushing around and making every endeavour to scatter the garbage. It is the role of the Ox in 2009 to clear the path and make way for a brighter future now we have all stopped wallpapering over the cracks and now we all live in a much more honest and realistic space.
The joy of all this is that once the road is laid then the people can follow very quickly so progress is much more rapid. In fact this is a sharp contrast to the current uncertainty and for those unprepared this new pace can be as much of a challenge as the static space we are in at the moment. This is when we have to be ready to grab the bull by the horns. We need to be mindful of the world around us and be ready to grab the opportunities when they come and for those who are prepared and have laid their own road this will be a successful and financially rewarding journey.
Master Kay Tom December 2008
