2025 was year of the Wood Snake.
Odd numbered years always seem to be slightly traumatic or trans-formative for me, 2025 was definitely on par. The following years are the big changes that follow.
1990 was traumatic in that I moved away from home for the first time, followed by 1991 when I moved out again, only to have fate throw me in with people that would continue to create chaos over the next 20 years of my life.
1994 I barely made it through nursing school, my boyfriend at the time was horribly injured by burns, moved twice, had my house broken into… 1995 I got forced into being night charge nurse where I worked, my grandfather who I adored died.
I must have blocked 1996. But 1997 I quit my first nursing job of 5 years to go work at the hospital and met my first husband. I should have took my girlfriend’s advice and run the other way. I didn’t.

In 1999 I married the jerk.

2008 was traumatic in that I spent it pregnant and stressed out I would miscarry for the 3rd time. I didn’t.
2009 I spent with my baby and I remember little else. 🙂

2010 the jerk had a stroke and we thought he wasn’t going to survive. I had to be away from my baby girl for the first time. Danny took care of my baby or it would have been SO much worse. I bought a new car. It was an absolute piece of crap.
2017 I moved away from the Lake of the Ozarks. I thought it was to something good, but it turned out to be a nightmare. I withered in the isolation instead of thriving.
2018 I spent half of in and out of the hospital with what I thought were cardiac problems. Turned out I was just incredibly stressed out.

2023 I split from the jerk and started dating Danny. While it was the best decision of my life, it was far from easy. I moved twice in that year, returned to nursing, found out I was much more capable than I’d ever believed.
2024 I married my Danny. We bought a house. We made memories. Aside from work drama and jerk drama, we were all happy.

2025 we lost our house. Medical shit happened. Money shit happened. We had to move again.
2026…

There’s gaps above, but you get the idea. My life seems to cycle back and forth, back and forth. Year of the Wood Snake felt like letting go of a lot of the trauma of years past and finally moving forward again. It wasn’t really that dramatic. There were a lot of moments of frustration and fear and perseverance. There was also a lot of deep discussion between Danny and me though about letting go of what no longer served us and how we were going to move forward and into the future. We talked a lot about what the future might look like and how we might go about making it happen.
The 2026 Lunar New Year began on February 17th, 2026 and will stick with us until February 5, 2027. It’s meant to bring rapid change, intense passion, independence and immense ambition along with it- a huge shift from the catalyst year before it.

The Fire Horse’s natural traits- speed, independence and vitality can be volatile, but bring action and break us out of the ruts we’ve been stuck in. Shedding away the old was painful, now it’s time to gallop ahead and make major changes. Emotions will be high, so the advice is to balance this energy with periods of Water such as rest, emotional steadiness and patience. We haven’t seen a Fire Horse year since 1966.
It’s Yang Fire energy, expansive and action-oriented. There will be movement, bold action and high speed change. It’s a good time to take risks, pursue passions and breakthrough all that old shed skin that was blinding us and holding us back.

The painting is acrylic on canvas board with some metallic elements. Sun rising behind the Fire Horse and setting behind the Wood Snake, who is exiting the painting. The Chinese Characters are “Fire Horse” and “Wood Snake.”

-B