A part of me...

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View from great grandma "Ta ma"'s grave, nice eh?

Though I think I’ve been to a cemetery once in Toronto when I was a kid for my grandpa’s funeral, I have no recollections of a cemetery save what I’ve read in books and seen in movies. Going today to “Bok Fu Lam”, a Chrisitan cemetery at the edge of Hong Kong Island overlooking the South China Sea to visit my grandpa and great grandma was a completely new experience for me. I never met either of them, but I was standing there by their wall (they were cremated, only rich people have full graves in HK), I couldn’t help but think about the generations that have come before me, and that have made me who I am.


I never knew that my great grandmother was a Christian. I never knew that my dad looked so much like his dad. I took pictures of their grave sites to show grandma, and also so I won’t forget. It took a heck of a time getting to the cemetery and there is no way I could have gotten there without Pastor Li taking me there, me not knowing how to read any Chinese and the cemetery being so isolated. Because she is a pastor, she knew the caretakers there, and providence would have it so that when it started to pour (and it POURS in this part of the world) and I was starting to get bitten from mosquitoes…as we were waiting for the bus (that only came once every blue moon) the owner of the place drove by, and him knowing Pastor Li, gave us a lift down to the MTR wayyyy down the hill. Crazy eh?


Seeing Pastor Li this morning and having dinner with Auntie Chick last night, both of whom I have barely any recollection of, though I have often heard their name spoken at home, was…I can’t put a word to it…special? They are both people who know my family well, and Auntie Chick was in the delivery room actually when my mom gave birth to me! She’s like my mom’s best friend, from high school to now! Being in HK and seeing these people, it’s like adding pieces of the puzzle that is me, that many often many people don’t start to put together until after their parents die. You know what I mean? I think I am seeing nearly ALL of my family this year (HK, Singapore, Toronto)...which is an area that I haven't touched, and that I have always cited as a sore spot in my family. I guess I am no longer afraid, and I am even eager to face it, skeletons and all. To see the beauty in the broken, and to find joy in it.


I think Mendel got it right about the genes. Genes do pass down the generations, things like the fact that I am studying the social sciences like my mother, the long line of teachers from both sides of the family, the faith. Pastor Li was saying how I look like mom but my mannerisms are similar to dad. It’s kind of cool, because I never really took much of an effort to get to know my family (or maybe even wanted to know) until the last few years.


Lots to write and lots going through my head.

A tale of two cities? Look carefully at the top apartments on the picture on the right side.

Yes it is...the Coach store is designed like a Coach signature bag! I have seen brand name stores here that I have only EVER seen in magazines! This is better than New York. This is also my fourth consecutive day shopping...(not in these stores of course) and I do sicken myself a little.

Gotta like them fishes on the street...I like fishes cuz there'll so delicious...LOL