Lunar New Year

Year of the Horse

Each lunar new year, my family makes our rounds to our relatives' houses. It is customary to visit our seniors to pay respect. The usual new year pleasantries are exchanged with two mandarin oranges. It is also customary for the seniors to return two oranges in exchange. We usually arm ourselves with "spare oranges" in case some families forget to return the oranges :)

As a kid, the New Year visiting was a joyous affair. Growing up during the fire cracker era was literally a blast. No New Year was complete without the traditional fire crackers and fireworks. As mischiveous children, we collected our stash of "ammunition" to have fun. We threw the fire crackers at one another and even surprised one another by lighting crackers next to unsuspecting "targets". It was a rough and tough era. Yes, burns were usual, especially when we tried to show how brave we were by holding on to a fire cracker while it exploded.

Fire crackers were banned around 1970 and thereafter, Chinese New Year became a quieter affair. As kids, we loved our ang pows. After each new year, we would negotiate with our parents on the proportion of the ang pow money we could spend (on toys of course) and the rest had to be deposited in our bank account. This was the once a year windfall that enabled us to buy that much wanted toy.
As we grew older, started work and had families, the ang pows diminished. Before long, we were bringing our children on the rounds to visit the older folks.

Gong Xi Fa Cai

The conversations over the years evolved from our elders asking us to study hard, wishing us well in our careers, asking about our girlfriends, asking us to get married, asking us when there will be the pitter patter of little feet, asking our children to study hard, wishing them well in their career, asking about their girlfriends, urging them to get married, etc. This is the circle of life.

Amid the well wishes, I am also saddened that our elders have gotten on with age and suffer from a range of health issues. While they seem to enjoy the reunion of families, the reality is that they are in their sunset years. Their failing memories and health leave me with  tinge of sadness. Some suffer from dementia and while they are happy, I cannot help but wonder about the importance of "quality of life."
I am reminded to enjoy and appreciate our families while they are with us; about making a difference to the lives we touch each day no matter how small; and the importance of being happy.

I am reminded of a quotation by Stephen Grellet that was introduced to me by my Secondary 1 art teacher during our first art lesson in manuscript writing. I found it so meaningful that this quote continues to be etched in my brain after all these years.

“I shall pass through this world but once. Any good therefore that I can do or any kindness that I can show to any human being, let me do it now. Let me not defer or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again.”