Travelling Thoughts

Today’s prompt asked: “Which animal would you compare yourself to, and why?” Growing up in Finland, the obvious choice would be the Bear. But in our tradition, the bear is more than a mere animal; is the physical embodiment of our anceatral pagan beliefs—the “King of the Forest” whose true name we were once told never to speak aloud. It represents a grounded, ancient strength that is deeply woven into my DNA.

Yet, as I stand at crossroads in my life, my mind goes straight to my Chinese Zodiac: The Dragon.

Which animal would you compare yourself to and why?

The Bear

In Finnish pagan belief, the bear is the Otso—the sacred ancestor. For a nurse, especially a Finnish nurse, the bear is the perfect embodiment of the constant resilience required for the “caring” aspect of the job—day in, day out.

As anyone of us who has seen the TikTok or IG accounts that glorify the tired nurses through comedy, we know that nursing is not just physical labour; it is more about the ethical endurance. It is the weight of holding a patient’s hand while the whole system seems to crumble around you, and you still say “I’m not in a hurry, I’m here just for you”, it is the ‘moral injury’ of feeling the need to give more when you only have fragments left, and it is the quiet strength required to witness suffering without letting it break yourself.

Like the bear in winter, a nurse must often retreat into a place of internal stillness just to survive the emotional toll. It is the bear spirit that allows us to remain grounded when the human heart is at its most fragile, yet it is the same spirit that makes us stand up and defend those under our care when their rights and needs are threatened.

The Fire Dragon

If the bear is there to safeguard my soul, the alignment of my birth year with this current year is the engine pushing me onwards.

Being born in 1976 means I don’t just observe change—I catalyse it. The Fire Dragon is the most intense of all dragons. We are visionary and restless, often feeling a “divine discontent” with the status quo. It tends to give us this need to strive for excellence in any given situation, and at the same time the need to veer away from toxic environments.

Even if I am not too much into horoscopes and their effect on our personalities, there are some events that make me go hmm. Now that the year of the Fire Horse is on us, it has definitely created something that might be a  Synergistic Surge. For a Fire Dragon, a Fire Horse year is a massive “green light” from the universe. The Horse provides the galloping speed, and the Dragon provides the soaring vision. Combination for magnificence or recipe for disaster?

This year is definitely bringing with it a new chapter in my life. I am already writing the first parts of it:

• We have started our Poodlies webstore; inspired by our travels

• We are planning our relocation away from Finland.
• We are hoping for you to Like & Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: Open Road Tales

So, which animal am I?

After all the talk of the Fire Dragon’s soaring vision during the tumultuous Fire Horse’s year, and of the Finnish Bear’s rooted, ethical strength, I find myself looking down.

Specifically, I’m looking at the spot on the floor where I recently recovered from a stomach bug guarded by Lola, Daddy’s little princess.

She was there, guided by her emotional intelligence, unwavering loyalty to her human, and that adaptability which allows her to feel at home on the floor and on our bed.

So maybe, after all, I am a Poodle.