This year of the water dragon has been pleasant so far. Just before the new year, I managed to convince my family to spend CNY eve at our ancestral home in Johol. So there we were Summer, Zane, Agnes, Peter Gan and Aunty, (my father's surviving third wife) had reunion dinner in our ancestral home once more. The food was painstakingly but lovingly prepared by Aunty, who managed to fill the table to the brim the way my father had always wanted it. Fireworks and crackers erupted noisily outside our first floor dining room window as we settled down to our sumptious meal celebrating the auspicious moment. As much as we were startled by the incessant loud noise, we heartily agreed that this was necessary to properly scare away the monster Nien, who terrorized the villages in ancient China, so all could stay alive and safely guo Nien.
After dinner we had no TV, no internet, no distractions to busy ourselves with and so we just spent time talking and playing games with each other. It was nice spending time with loved ones in the memory of those who have gone before us.
Today, that memory belongs to my father who passed away 6 years ago on this seventh day of the lunar new year. The seventh day is also known as everybody's birthday as this is the day on the Chinese lunar calendar when everybody gets a year older.
As I grow older each seventh day of the CNY, I also grow wiser thinking of the lessons my father taught me not by lecturing me or beating me up. No never. The old man never laid a hand on me. He loved me and he showed me through living his life with honour, respect and integrity that things could be resolved and life is to be enjoyed. Always the one to look for the humor in life, my father was fun to be with.
So as we shared the reunion dinner in my ancestral home this new year, I know my father is pleased. The fireworks and firecrackers that erupted outside our window to scare away the monster Nien, I look back from the seventh day and I realize my father gave us valuable life lessons to scare away own own demons. For me it's just to look inward and dig deep into the values my father taught me and in it's powerful silent revelation know that demons only exist in our own minds.
Back in ancient times, people believed that their land was in constant threat from outside forces. When the rains didn't fall the crops would not grow and the land was barren, people would not have food. So they blamed the monster when what was actually happening was that the seasons change just as spring will surely follow winter. Which is precisely when the new year celebrates, the start of spring.
So as we go forth this Chinese New Year, have a beautiful springtime and know that the only demons we need to scare away are the ones in our minds.
I love you Papa.
Xin Nian Quai Le Everyone.
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