Am I A Fire Monkey Or...Not

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I am not a fan of any kind of astrology or fortune telling so it is no surprise that I was not aware that 2016 is the Year of the Monkey.  When someone told me, I shrugged and promptly put it out of my mind.  But with the upcoming Chinese New year celebrations and many social media posts about it, I learned that not only is 2016 a monkey year but it is that of a fire/red monkey, an element-sign combination that recurs every 60 years, the last time was in 1956, the year I was born.  Yes, dear readers, I am turning 60 this year. And so I thought, hey, maybe it would be interesting to find out more about my Chinese Zodiac Monkey.

I found this information from Chinese Zodiac:

What ”Fire Monkey” Means

In Chinese astrology, each year is associated with an animal sign and one of these five elements- Gold (Metal), Water, Wood, Fire, or Earth. It is said that both the element and sign of your birth year influences your personality and destiny.

Metal Monkey – Years 1920 and 1980

Metal Monkeys are determined and ambitious individuals and as a result, they’re often successful. Although they’re considered warm-hearted and very likeable, their preference in life is to be alone. Metal Monkeys are loyal to both their employers and their partners.

Water Monkey – Years 1932 and 1992
Water Monkeys are extremely sensitive and often feel hurt by the things that are said to them. They refuse to show their sensitive side to others and as a result, are extreme jokesters. If they can stay focused, they can succeed, but more often than not, they’re easily distracted from their goals.

Wood Monkey – Years 1944 and 2004

The Wood Monkey’s exceptional communication skills enable them to interact well with others. They’re hard workers who have a keen understanding of the way things operate.

Fire Monkey – Years 1956 and 2016

Full of strength and determination, Fire Monkeys are excellent at not only setting goals, but in meeting them as well. Others enjoy being in the company of Fire Monkeys, even though these Monkeys want the upper hand in every situation.

Earth Monkey – Years 1908 and 1968

Always the community activists, Earth Monkeys have an inherent desire to live life the “right” way. They’re very dependable and they take their work and their relationships seriously. In fact, they put forth 100% effort in everything they do. In return, Earth Monkeys expect respect from others.

Characteristics of the Fire Monkey

The Monkey is said to possess such character traits as curiosity, mischievousness, and cleverness. Forever playful, Monkeys are the masters of practical jokes. Even though their intentions are always good, this desire to be a prankster has a tendency to create ill will and hurt feelings. Monkeys prefer urban life to rural, and their favorite pastime is people-watching. The Fire Monkey is described as adventurous with a risk-taking nature; self-interested, thus he/she loves to be the center of attention.

But...but, I am not your typical Fire Monkey!

Reading about the Fire Monkey, I could not see myself as a typical one. Although I have strength of character and good at setting goals, I am far from adventurous and full of mischief.  I am playful in the sense that I like to laugh and have an active imagination, but I do not prank people. I am definitely not a risk-taker.  In fact, I am someone who loves to surround myself with things familiar. I admit I am a curious individual especially when it comes to history, genealogy, culture, technology and other things that may interest me, but people watching is not one of them. I would like to believe that I am a good friend and parent. But if I were a "typical" fire monkey, I would not be where I am right now, in a place where life is slow and easy, where contentment and comfort reigns supreme, and ambition is a long forgotten word.

My Conclusion -

Therefore, what I learned about the Chinese Zodiac Monkey just reaffirms my belief that I am who I am because I am made up of the specific genetic combination I got from my parents, plus their good nurturing. I am the product of my experiences and encounters that in one way or another have impacted my life. All these astrology, elements, signs or what not, have nothing to do with who or what I am today. The only absolute thing I share with the Fire Monkey is the year I was born. Of course, I say this not to trivialize astrology, since there are many who do follow it seriously. And even though I do not believe in it per se, it's fun to imagine that somewhere deep inside me is a Monkey lurking, waiting to be discovered (wink, wink)!

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