Chinese New Year

Two weeks after leaving Singapore for Hong Kong, we're back again for Chinese New Year. Prior to coming back to Singapore for Christmas and Chinese New Year, I was very excited and happy because this would be little Ba Ba first Christmas and Chinese New Year in Singapore. Well, Christmas came and left and we had great fun catching up with the family. But there was something that made us a little sad as we left Singapore.

Babe's 3rd aunty didn't look well at Christmas dinner. She had been feeling kinda sick and rundown for a while. Babe and I were just talking about how sickly his aunt looked over Christmas and we were hoping that she'll be able to get well soon. But who's to know what could happen. Just one day before flying back to Singapore, we got news that Babe's aunty fell, hit her head and had a blood clot and in a matter of a week or so, she went to heaven. We were in shock. Well, everyone was in shock. We made it home for the vigil and burial services.

That led us to Chinese New Year that seemed to be a little sombre. As we celebrated, we were reminded of Babe's 3rd aunty's absence. There were sadness around as Babe's mum and aunties talked about it. Sure, we know that she's in heaven but there's still grieving. We're praying for the family to heal.

This Chinese New Year honestly doesn't feel much like a Chinese New Year. Each year that comes, Chinese New Year seems to be losing it's lustre. As kids, we loved CNY. There were lots of food, visiting, hanging out with cousins and lots of fun. But as I get older, things seem to change. I guess grandparents, granduncles and grandaunts passing on might have had impacts on the celebrations or that we hardly visit people anymore. Or maybe it's that we've moved away for such a long time that we've lost touch with people, that made a huge difference too. Babe even mentioned that maybe we shouldn't fly home for both Christmas and CNY. But to me, that's the time that I really want to spend with the family. And especially now that his grandma is so old, we should try to be home more so that she'll be able to see Josias more.

So this CNY has been a little bittersweet. Nice to be home with the family but at the back of my head, I wished that 3rd aunty didn't have to be home with the Lord so soon. Anyway, that's enough of my rumblings. Happy Chinese New Year! Oh, please don't be mistaken that I don't like CNY, I actually enjoy CNY because I get to fly home to send time with the family and get to see my relatives too.