Have you ever experienced a life and death situation? I had two and I want to share both of them with you. What made me think of these two life and death situations? Well, the first one happened on the 1st day of the Chinese New Year 58 years ago!
It happened while my parents were having lunch and I and Ling-ling, the neighbour’s 2 year old were playing in the kitchen. We were both splashing water at each other and somehow I fell into the huge jar of water. During those days, we used to store water in big earthen vessels. Ling-ling was just 2 and could not speak well at all! Somehow it was she who sounded the alarm and I was pulled out of the jar. According to my mom, I was already blue and not breathing and Ling-ling’s mom turned me upside down and applied hard slaps on my back and eventually I vomited out the water and regain consciousness. Till now, I can still remember the process of drowning. I remembered drinking in the water and I did not feel any panic or fear! I guess I was really gasping for air but could only draw in water into my lungs! Also I remember feeling very cold and drowsy.
The second incident was terrifying. I survived a racial riot on the 13th May 1969. This was one very ugly event that my country tries to forget. I have never feel fear so deeply in my heart. I just went cold in the heart and I ran with all my strength to escape being killed violently. I can still hear the shouting and the sound of foot-steps running behind me. It was chaotic as well as frantic and somehow, I managed to escape back into my flat where I shared with some college-mates.
Unlike the first incident where I felt nothing and remembered very little perhaps because of my young age but the second incident left a deep scar in my heart. It took me many years to finally release my anger, feeling of injustice as well as resentment and bitterness at the perpetrators. Basically I choose to forgive and slowly I can befriend and accept the perpetrators as another fellow countryman again. I know I have forgiven because I married one from them.
During that racial riots in 1969, I was taken to a refugee camp for about a month and I met two Indian boys who were separated from their parents during that few days of madness. I cannot remember their names, except this photo taken in the refugee camp. They should be in their mid-forties by now and hopefully if they see this posting, will try to make contact with me again. Hey can you recognize me from this photo? If you can I am sure they can.
Rock and I believe in Miracles! In our life time we have had seen many miracles but I want to share with you about one particular supernatural happening which till today still confounded us. This happened in 1984 when we were playing host to a father and son team and they were Missionaries visiting my country. We knew very little about them, just informed by our pastor that so and so would be in town and asked whether we would mind hosting them in our home and we agreed.
Just about two months before their arrival, while I was mowing the lawn, I noticed a tiny Papaya plant sprouting about a couple of inches above ground. I just mowed it away. A week later, again I went to mow the lawn and again I noticed the Papaya plant sprouting a couples of inches above ground! I decided to let it grow and thought nothing about it. It grew very fast and about the time of the arrival of these two missionaries, the Papaya plant was about my height 166 cm and bore many Papayas.
To our amazement, we discovered that these two gentlemen were very particular about their diet and they ate fruit for dinner and they love Papayas! So I plucked the Papayas from that tree and served them for about a week. The Papayas were fantastic too. After one week stay with us, it was time for them to say good-bye and moved on to another country.
To our surprise, after we ate the remaining Papayas from that tree, it never bore another fruit! The tree just grew tall and remained barren. To me and my wife it just goes to show that how God can provide for the needs of His servants. Not only that, He loves His servants enough to even cater to the minutest detail such as Papayas!
Blessings to you! That is what the above Chinese Character means. Traditionally, the Chinese New Year Celebration lasts for 30 days, 15 days before the 1st day of the new lunar year and 15 days after. Well in modern times, this has reduced to 2 days officially but people still take 7 days off. I remembered in the 50’s and 60’s all the Chinese business outlets were closed for at least 2 weeks and for construction companies a whole month.
Reunion Dinner is on the Eve, and everyone rushes back to their hometowns and also to their respective families just for that. On the 1st day, there will be another family meal. This shows that to the Chinese food is utmost on their agenda for any celebrations. After this meal, everyone is sort of dismissed and free to do what they want. Usually it will be visitations to friends and relatives whom we have not seen for the past one year or so. There is some form of protocol in these visitations, starting with the senior to the junior of uncles and aunties in their rankings!
Then there is the practice of giving money wrapped in red paper in the past, or red envelopes in modern times. It is given by the elders to the younger unmarried family members, relatives, children and close friends. For the children it is always a joy to receive as much red packets as possible and it is also a time where they are really well mannered and happily greeting the uncles and aunties addressing them respectfully by their positions.
Then there are special days throughout this period for specific celebration depending on whether you are a Cantonese, Hakka, Hainanese or Hokkien. For the Cantonese and on the 7th day they celebrate the birthday for humanity. This is the time for raw fish and salad. For the Hokkien, the 9th day is very important where they pray to the God of Heaven.
Finally all the celebrations culminate on the final night on the 15th day and for some it is also some sort of Chinese Valentine’s Day! The single girls will make a wish and throw Mandarin oranges into the sea or pond or river hoping for the special person to appear this year! It is also a very romantic day where in the past scholars will compose poems, riddles on lanterns and compete for the most unique and romantic of all.
After the 15th night, it will be time to say our goodbyes and return to the city where we make a living. Next year, the whole cycle repeats itself. Today it is the 6th day and tomorrow me and my family will have a meal of raw fish and salad to celebrate everyone's birthday!
The Chinese Lunar New Year had come and sort of gone! Traditionally, there will be the Reunion Dinner on the Eve Night and most Chinese families will share a dinner together. We had that on Saturday 17th February and there was in total 25 people and quite a few could not make it. It was a joyous time, and my son Jay was the star attraction simply because he was missing for the past 10 Reunion Dinners!
Cousins had plenty to catch-up for the past year and for the oldies, a time of recalling past funny and hilarious incidences. All in all it was a wonderful Reunion Dinner and it ended with the usual giving away of Red Packets to the younger ones from the elders! Well to those who are not familiar with Chinese Traditions, a Red Packet is just some money wrapped in red paper or envelopes.
On the first day and second day of the New Year, we were all visiting relatives and friends and usually we return home with a stomach full of food and drinks and a big smile on our faces! New Year is really a joyous time for young and old and that's why it is the greatest festival among the Chinese world wide.
It was also a very tiring time for the older people like me and Rock. Every night we just dropped onto the bed and the minute our heads touched the pillows we were off! It was also a time where we Chinese bloggers do not have time to blog! Too much activities and visits.
As I had shared with you about my passion for 'Curries', I must tell you about Myanmar! What has Myanmar got to do with 'Curries' ? Plenty, they have got one of the most original, authentic Curries I ever tasted! Of course they do not call it Curry but it taste exactly like what Curry should taste like. Here am I sheepishly trying out the local Noodles (Curry) in Yangon when I was there some time back.
Today, I am also very happy because Rock agrees to post and share her struggles, pain as a stroke survivor. This is something I have been encouraging her to do so that other stroke survivors can learn, and draw encouragement from her own experience. Also I believe that it is also therapeutic for Rock when she can finally articulate her pain! So friends watch this space and you are about to hear the deep cry of the heart of a stroke survivor! Coming Soon!
I can really see what communicating with each other is so very important in a relationship. After our Valentine Musings we talked a bit about her cooking and she really get excited about her past achievements in this area. Believe me, Rock is a fantastic cook! So eventually I popped the question like what I did 35 years ago when I asked her to marry me! Would you like to share your trials and tribulations as a stroke survivor and Oh! my Joy, she said Yes!
When will this be? Well we have to give her time to think and organize things a bit shall we. She is scared of the computer mind you and she is a rookie in this area lead by another rookie, me. So there won't be any announcements and when it happens you will see it online, first-hand and unadulterated! See ya!
