Peace be with you

Today was my Tua Tio's funeral.
He was a Taoist, and so were his wife (my maternal aunt) and children (my four cousins).

Over the 3-day wake, the rites were performed, the prayers, said.
Funerals in Singapore are normally held at 'void-decks' -- to explain this, they're the wide lobby areas of apartment blocks.
Every night, the Taoist priest chanted and led the processions for hours long, with small breaks in-between. Weary and sadded as they may have been, my four cousins and their own families held on to the joss sticks and went through the prayers as were expected of filial children.

The rest of my aunts, uncles and cousins, most of whom are Catholics, didn't join in the processions. Instead we did whatever else we could: tended to visitors who came to pay their last respects, served each makeshift table of guests with packet drinks, peanuts, gua-chee and sweets on paper plates, and folded paper ingots that were to be burnt as offerings. Those who had cars volunteered to run errands, or to chauffer the rest of us back home at night. Many of them took leave from work just so they could be there to stay awake overnight and look after the coffin at the wake, so that our four cousins and their families could get some rest for the night.

On my mum's side, my brother and I have 5 aunts and 2 uncles, 17 cousins and 13 neices and nephews. We rarely have the chance to get-together, but when we do, it's not only during times of merry- making, but also times like this when support and love is much more needed, sought, and given.

Everyone was there helping out, just like how they were there for my family when my mum passed away four years back.

Thank God for family, for I wouldn't know how we would have managed and pull through without them.

And I hope, that whatever little we may have done, have had been of some comfort and aid to my aunt and four cousins, to let them know that hey, we are family, and we will always be there for you and for one another.

Peace be with you, Tua Tio, may the Lord bless you, your family and all our relatives too. Amen.

[photo taken with: SE k800i; of a temple next to the Chinese Temple where my Tua Tio's urn will be placed]