The circle of life

It's Amah's 1st death anniversary today. When she passed away last year, events felt like they were unfurling unnaturally slowly, and even now, as I look back on the wake and the rainy day of her funeral, they replay in my mind in slow motion. It was different with Angkong, who passed away in the summer of my junior year in college, in 2000. Then, things seemed to snowball and progress quickly, and before we knew it we were all wearing red to mark his 2nd death anniversary.

The beautiful similarity about both deaths though, is that new life came to the family the following years. In fact, my niece Maxine was born exactly one year after Angkong left us, on April 1. This year, my cousin Atsi Gue gave birth to Isabel in June, and then Atsi Fanny had Andre 2 weeks ago in July (both babies have the trademark Lim cheeks =D). In a way, we feel that the spirits of Angkong and Amah live on in these latest additions to the family, just as their memories live on in our minds and hearts.

"Everyone must leave something behind when he dies, my grandfather said. A child or a book or a painting or a house or a wall built or a pair of shoes made. Or a garden planted. Something your hand touched some way so your soul has somewhere to go when you die, and when people look at that tree or that flower you planted, you’re there." - Ray Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451