Today our whole tribe attended a prayer ceremony for grandmother grandfather and ….. mommy
It’s been a year since grandma or ah ma’s passing. How fast can time be?
Ah Ma, so tiny in frame, but so large in life or larger than. I think it will be impossible for me to forget what she said, when she came into our family to stay with us, to mother us, after mom’s passing.
“Yen, take it as if it was nothing. Be brave.”
I dont know how much courage she gave me so many times in life when I find myself in need. Just this line and what she did with her life.
And the prayer ceremony brought ah ma, ah gong or grandpa and mommy together.
At a temporarily set up altar, a big paper home is in place. The tribe is putting ah ma ah gong and mommy together as they reunite in the other world.
Everyone seems to feel better after doing the rites, its like they say, all done.
But for myself, it was something much much more as I went through it.
Seeing the photos of grandfather grandmother and mommy in the face was impactful.
I feel a stir somewhat . What are the words I should use when I can’t even make sense of my emotions? Arggh
Feels like a wind has come by and ruffled some pages of a book . Or some dust of a book hidden somewhere stirred.
Now as I put words down, I realize wind and light has come. Yes. Isn’t that a good thing TPY?
Like it did something to the long standing hurt and pain that has been kept in a certain place in my body, maybe…maybe in everyone else’s
I breathed in light and air as I sat there listening to the rites.
If anything, BREATHE
I worked hard at that.
As the gongs cymbals and prayer music came on, i try to be aware of areas of resonance.
it feels like some resonance can be found at the tummy area and heart
Like it was inviting things out
As I looked at ah ma’s picture, I began to speak to her
Thank you granny for sacrificing the way you did. For the selfless devotion , for all your giving. For giving your entire life to the Tan clan.
You had the whole tribe on your shoulders, how heavy is that?
How selfless is that?
How much responsibility and challenge could that have been?
But you took it all the same.
And the whole tribe is bowing to you now, on behalf of them all, thank you granny for giving up your happiness for all of us.
Please find your peace now
And another thought came to mind: Must people only find peace when they have given of themselves and after they die?
Really? Cant there be another way?
I looked at ah gong’s picture and I saw myself sitting on his lap kissing his face in the living room at our family home in geylang
It feels almost as if I can still feel the warmth and the smell of cigarette emanating from his mouth.
But I felt loved as a grandchild. I dont seem to recall any other grandchild being so close to ah gong.
I would kiss his face five times, on both cheeks, forehead, nose, chin
Like a ritual.
I recall dad telling me ah gong is a great cook. He did Tze Char, had a stall where all his children helped out and served celebrities at his stall with his hor fun, Har Lok (sautéed prawns), stir fried liver…
And afterwards, when I m on the food journey i recognised the seed planted by ah gong perhaps but that which I have expressed or interpreted with my own.
I might not have been a great cook, but i did meaningful valuable stories recording chef’s lives and wisdom that people could read over and over again, timeless quotes and wonderful values
And even if I have left the industry now, I find it hard to sever my ties with food even if I wanted to. There are people who keep calling and wanting me to serve in this industry in different ways
Then I look at my mother’s photo, and I sort of still felt her love
Why? It is still here so long after she has gone in 2002.
Her love so big so strong! I realise it traversed distance, space, dimensions. How big is that?
Thank you mommy, for loving us the way you did. For your selfless love and care for us all. For giving your life and soul your everything to the family, like ah ma has, for always always considering and prioritizing us. Making decisions for the good of us rather than yourself first
Please be at peace please find your peace
And as I said thank you to granny and mommy, I felt something lifted off my body and my cells
Like something opened up…ka cha….
Like there was a release
I heaved things out ……..PHEW!
As I was looking at the whole tribe, and my family, I give thanks to granny mommy for all the love and life they have given to the tribe
On behalf of the tribe of my family I say this, and is thankful I have the awareness to do this.
I sort of see them smile satisfactorily and going away
And for myself——-I feel like I can finally have a fresh new start
After so long, I think I can finally bye this experience away
And I have reflections almost instantly
-Can’t they be at peace in life?
-I began to realize how similar I have been when making decisions , I followed mother and grandmother—— I always thought of my children first and not my feelings first
I shouldered my family above myself when the family was in need. Wow. And at a much younger age.
And the beautiful thing is——I found a way!!!
If granny and mommy attended to anyone else other than themselves first, then why dont I do the reverse?
What if I attended to my emotions first ?
Rather than thinking for my family?
I would want to get out of this situation
I would not have kept things under wraps thinking this is good for the kids
So I should try the reverse instead. Try TPY try!
I should try this method of putting myself first because if its good for me, it must be good for my kids somewhat. And if I m not happy, the kids will not be.
Then I could rewire and change things
And finally be myself
It reminds me of my solo trip in Paris
One time I went one round and came back to the same spot realising ——–I have come one full circle
Now too, I feel like I have had a dream and I m back to some ten years ago, when mommy had passed on, and I have processed this, and can start off, acknowledging the loss yet can move on.
Finally, I asked for ALL the support, resources, power, strength, wisdom, energy, longevity, vitality that I need to breakthrough and to become a better version of TPY.












































