Observations through the whiskey glass
Thursday, February 09, 2006
Happy Lunar New Year
It was the first day of the Lunar Festival.
We finally arrived at the hospital after braving the infamous traffic jams of this city. I was impressed by the clean and orderly lobby. The staff were moving around performing their duties efficiently in their neat, well-pressed uniforms. It was such a contrary to the smog-filled air of the city, the grim-covered leaves of the suffocating plants along the streets.
We waited for about fifteen minutes. The attendant came to bring us to the mortuary to take a last look at her, before they transport her to the temple for the service to rest her soul.
Our premature arrival caught the mortician in an awkward situation. He was still in the process of dressing her up. We stood at the doorway, embarrassed at the intrusion, shocked at seeing her body lying half-naked with her mouth slightly opened indignantly.
It was done in minutes. The staff moved aside to let the family pay respect to her. Every one of us muttered our own prayers to her, wishing her swift journey to whichever place she was supposed to travel to in her afterlife.
"Ma! I want ma back! Pa! I want ma back!" the little nine-year old daughter suddenly wailed.
All the barriers each individual built to contain our emotions were shattered. The tears that were held in check burst forth when little resistance.
She struggled against her father's strong arms to reach that empty husk that was left of her sick mother. Raw waves of grief and bereavement emanated from her with each scream. Her father held her back, jaws clenched as he struggled to control his brimming eyes.
The women in the family were sobbing softly in the fore; the men wiped away silent tears in the rear while supporting their loved ones.
It was the first day of the Lunar New Year.
We flew here for a holiday.
We lost a dear one here instead.
It was the first day of the Lunar New Year.
Be strong Sir, your child needs your strength.
Be strong Girl, you are the salve to soothe your dad's bereavement.
It was the first day of the Lunar New Year.
A year that will test our strength in adversity.
A year where the family's support structure is sorely needed,
to propel us to the light at the end of the tunnel. ¶
15:51 by aberwyn
4 comments
It was the first day of the Lunar Festival.
We finally arrived at the hospital after braving the infamous traffic jams of this city. I was impressed by the clean and orderly lobby. The staff were moving around performing their duties efficiently in their neat, well-pressed uniforms. It was such a contrary to the smog-filled air of the city, the grim-covered leaves of the suffocating plants along the streets.
We waited for about fifteen minutes. The attendant came to bring us to the mortuary to take a last look at her, before they transport her to the temple for the service to rest her soul.
Our premature arrival caught the mortician in an awkward situation. He was still in the process of dressing her up. We stood at the doorway, embarrassed at the intrusion, shocked at seeing her body lying half-naked with her mouth slightly opened indignantly.
It was done in minutes. The staff moved aside to let the family pay respect to her. Every one of us muttered our own prayers to her, wishing her swift journey to whichever place she was supposed to travel to in her afterlife.
"Ma! I want ma back! Pa! I want ma back!" the little nine-year old daughter suddenly wailed.
All the barriers each individual built to contain our emotions were shattered. The tears that were held in check burst forth when little resistance.
She struggled against her father's strong arms to reach that empty husk that was left of her sick mother. Raw waves of grief and bereavement emanated from her with each scream. Her father held her back, jaws clenched as he struggled to control his brimming eyes.
The women in the family were sobbing softly in the fore; the men wiped away silent tears in the rear while supporting their loved ones.
It was the first day of the Lunar New Year.
We flew here for a holiday.
We lost a dear one here instead.
It was the first day of the Lunar New Year.
Be strong Sir, your child needs your strength.
Be strong Girl, you are the salve to soothe your dad's bereavement.
It was the first day of the Lunar New Year.
A year that will test our strength in adversity.
A year where the family's support structure is sorely needed,
to propel us to the light at the end of the tunnel. ¶
15:51 by aberwyn
4 Comments:
Condolences dude.
By 
MaKan GuRu, at
4:30 PM
Sorry for your loss. :( Brought tears to my eyes because I lost a family member during the LNY some years ago; LNY will always contain some measure of grief for me in that way.
By Laughingcow, at
9:27 PM
My Condolences to you...Haven't see you in a while now.. Be strong
By 
, at
9:18 PM
My condolences.. Sorry to hear about it.
Archives
October 2004November 2004
December 2004
January 2005
February 2005
March 2005
April 2005
May 2005
June 2005
July 2005
August 2005
September 2005
October 2005
November 2005
December 2005
January 2006
February 2006
previous posts
- How I wish.
- It's a dog's year.
- ME!!! ME!!!
- At times like these
- 1963
- Sleeping Tiger
- Blue Christmas
- 42
- I <3 Cat
- Remember
misc
sites i visit
blogs i read
- firecow
- xena
- milktea
- jackal
- maded
- tetanus
- eck
- whyistheplatypus
- twicepoisoneddog
- alexandra
- laughingcow
- dawn
- val
