THE OFFERING ARRIVED
Qing Ming Jie, a dedicated day in early spring for traditional Chinese peoples to visit loved ones who have passed on at their graves and pay respects, was on a Wednesday this year, the day of Mercury. By custom, with the tombs freshly swept by the living, and the debris removed, the spaces consecrated as doorways to connect with the living dead were renewed at a minimum of each year. Even portals need cleaning.
THE END AND THE BEGINNING MET US
On the first Wednesday morning of the Year of the Rabbit, I received news that my Puo Puo (maternal grandmother) had a massive stroke the night before. The stroke left her brain and body irreparable. My mother and her siblings who live in the metro Vancouver area, as well as Puo Puo's grandchildren and great grandchildren were fortunate enough to gather with her throughout the Lunar New Year celebrations the weekend prior. Puo Puo, in her 90s, had been frail for quite some time, and she, who must have sensed a forthcoming transference of energy, asked her children to gather around her again Tuesday evening, and within minutes of their arrival to her home, the stroke occurred.