I had a really funny dream last night; not funny as in laughing or hilarious type but more towards the bizarre and supernatural type.
I dreamt of someone that I don't really know but yet at the same time, he seemed to be related to me.
It was later revealed in the dream that he was a granduncle.
I cannot remember how it started but I seemed to end up in some alley.
I think there was a game between the two men I saw in my dream; gamble or some video game.
Suddenly I saw them hanging by the wall; as in hangman style.
They were hung to death by the wall and I was the first one to rush home and inform my Mum and all my aunts.
Everyone was devastated when they heard the news and made plans to travel immediately and to arrange for the sombre funeral services.
Somehow all those who were in the same house that night were women (aunts and mum) and they relived back their childhood days.
Then the dream seemed to come to a part where I was suddenly startled and I asked, "Oh my, with this happening in the family, I do need to take leave from work right?"
Then I heard my mum, dad and all my aunts answered, "Of course, this is your granduncle"
It flashed to suddenly when I was writing a letter and somehow, it was describing that it was two people's death; my granduncle and grandmother!
I woke up with a shock and I just knew it felt really weird and bizarre and I tried to wipe it away from my mind, but I just felt all out of place anyway.
Hmmmmm....my granduncle has been dead for a long time; and I have only one grandmother left ( I pray nothing is true from this dream!)
It felt like a video game more than reality when I was inside this dream....
One word..WEIRD!
Tuesday, June 01, 2010
Monday, May 24, 2010
Grandpa, were you there?
It has been two months ago since I last updated this blog; as I have not have the time nor the interesting stories/stuffs which I would like to share on.
(There is an article which I am compiling on a festival though and hopefully it will be posted here pretty soon).
I recently read a story in one of my TSGS books which reminded me of a small incident back when my grandfather passed away.
I don't fancy myself as one of those who had any dealings or encounters with the outworldly being or spiritual world (besides GOD) and I definitely do not hope for anything like that as well.
This incident is not anything major; but it just felt odd and scary at that time and I think I kept quiet about it all the while as I just didn't associate it with an actual incident, but rather, a figment of my imagination.
I remembered it was back then in 1994; when my grandfather passed away.
It was on that day; I still remember it vividly in my mind, as I was the one who picked up the phone during the thunderstorm at 5.15pm and I was told to fetch my mum to answer the phone.
When my mum put down the phone, she told us in a very solemn voice, "Your grandfather had just passed away"
Being kids, we were just really naive and inexperienced and I just know we were both surprised by the news as we remembered that grandpa was reported to be safe and healthy following his bypass surgery the day before and was expected to be discharged the very next day.
Mummy told us to take our baths and pack some of our clothes in dull colors (black, blue and white) as we were to head to my uncle's place (where grandpa and grandpa stayed)
I headed to the bathroom and closed the door behind me.
While I was showering, I noticed a pair of black leather shoes standing outside my door.
(Our bathroom is located in the kitchen and at that time, our bathroom door which was a wooden one had some damages at the bottom of the door; the wood decayed and therefore, the end of the door was elevated a few inches from the normal ones, hence it gave me a clear view of anything slid under the door.
I thought it was my brother standing in front of the door; hurrying me for his turn.
I dismissed anything funny and quickly showered. However, I remembered having a weird and nagging feeling that it was not my brother nor my mummy, and something, just something told me deep inside that it was grandpa.
I didn't want to delve into it, or to increase my own fear.
The shoes were just there for a short while, when I turned my back to shower and when I turned back, it was gone.
I came out and asked my brother, and he told me he was in the living room watching tv the whole time while Mummy was inside the room packing.
Daddy was not home yet, and nobody wears shoes inside the house anyway; furthermore, these are black leather shoes (shoes that my grandpa only wore on Sundays to the church - my grandpa was a really frugal person)
I could never make head or tail out of this, and I did not pursue it further anyway.
But to this day, I was wondering, was it really grandpa?
Was he really the one who stood outside the bathroom?
Did he come to bid me a last goodbye? (I was his first grandchild and one of his favorites)
I wished I knew, but sometimes, I guess I don't really wanna know either.
Some things are better left unknown.
Grandpa, wherever you are (I am sure you are in a much better place now), you are a good man and one of my most respected person in my life.
I am sure God wanted a good man like you by his side forever, and whether it was you that time, I knew it was goodbye and I know today, you are watching me from heaven.
(There is an article which I am compiling on a festival though and hopefully it will be posted here pretty soon).
I recently read a story in one of my TSGS books which reminded me of a small incident back when my grandfather passed away.
I don't fancy myself as one of those who had any dealings or encounters with the outworldly being or spiritual world (besides GOD) and I definitely do not hope for anything like that as well.
This incident is not anything major; but it just felt odd and scary at that time and I think I kept quiet about it all the while as I just didn't associate it with an actual incident, but rather, a figment of my imagination.
I remembered it was back then in 1994; when my grandfather passed away.
It was on that day; I still remember it vividly in my mind, as I was the one who picked up the phone during the thunderstorm at 5.15pm and I was told to fetch my mum to answer the phone.
When my mum put down the phone, she told us in a very solemn voice, "Your grandfather had just passed away"
Being kids, we were just really naive and inexperienced and I just know we were both surprised by the news as we remembered that grandpa was reported to be safe and healthy following his bypass surgery the day before and was expected to be discharged the very next day.
Mummy told us to take our baths and pack some of our clothes in dull colors (black, blue and white) as we were to head to my uncle's place (where grandpa and grandpa stayed)
I headed to the bathroom and closed the door behind me.
While I was showering, I noticed a pair of black leather shoes standing outside my door.
(Our bathroom is located in the kitchen and at that time, our bathroom door which was a wooden one had some damages at the bottom of the door; the wood decayed and therefore, the end of the door was elevated a few inches from the normal ones, hence it gave me a clear view of anything slid under the door.
I thought it was my brother standing in front of the door; hurrying me for his turn.
I dismissed anything funny and quickly showered. However, I remembered having a weird and nagging feeling that it was not my brother nor my mummy, and something, just something told me deep inside that it was grandpa.
I didn't want to delve into it, or to increase my own fear.
The shoes were just there for a short while, when I turned my back to shower and when I turned back, it was gone.
I came out and asked my brother, and he told me he was in the living room watching tv the whole time while Mummy was inside the room packing.
Daddy was not home yet, and nobody wears shoes inside the house anyway; furthermore, these are black leather shoes (shoes that my grandpa only wore on Sundays to the church - my grandpa was a really frugal person)
I could never make head or tail out of this, and I did not pursue it further anyway.
But to this day, I was wondering, was it really grandpa?
Was he really the one who stood outside the bathroom?
Did he come to bid me a last goodbye? (I was his first grandchild and one of his favorites)
I wished I knew, but sometimes, I guess I don't really wanna know either.
Some things are better left unknown.
Grandpa, wherever you are (I am sure you are in a much better place now), you are a good man and one of my most respected person in my life.
I am sure God wanted a good man like you by his side forever, and whether it was you that time, I knew it was goodbye and I know today, you are watching me from heaven.
Friday, March 05, 2010
Ancestral Worship
Being born and raised as a Catholic does not means that we are not allowed to pay respects or worship our dead ancestors, as the Church recently tells us.
Since last year during the Chinese New Year mass typically held on the First Day of the Lunar New Year, the priest has announced that Catholics can participate in the ceremony of paying respects to our dead ancestors.
Most of the modern families are of mixed beliefs these days; where the both parents are of different religions and therefore, it is inevitable when you see altars of worship in the houses of Catholics.
The Church understands this and tries to blend into the culture; by giving a new idea to respect the Scriptures at the same time.
Being Catholics does not mean we are not able to fulfill filial piety as well, and we have to acknowledge the fact that we are here today because of our ancestors.
It is therefore not wrong to pay them respects.
Sure, in the Bible, it is mentioned that we are not to worship any other objects or deities except God himself or we are Pagans.
Therefore, it is an important to note that when we pay respects or participate in the worship ceremony of ancestors with our family/relatives, we are merely acknowledging our ancestors and we should not believe that their spirits still dwell within the ancestral tablets on the table nor should we see the tablets as direct representations of our ancestors themselves.
That would be a violation as we are praying TO the tablets; and believe that they hold divine power.
We are also allowed to hold joss sticks, and place them as a form of respect for the ancestors and also for the ceremony.
Fruits are also offered as a symbol and as part of the ceremony.
It is definitely a new evolution approach taken by the Church to blend into the different cultures in the world and to be friendly to the cultures practised around the world without prejudice.
I think it's pretty interesting and it is definitely a good way to show that we respect other religions and cultures without any discrimination.
Furthermore, the respect for ancestors is compulsory as we are standing here today because of their existence and teachings in the past to form us, the future generations who will continue the legacy of the family and of mankind.
Since last year during the Chinese New Year mass typically held on the First Day of the Lunar New Year, the priest has announced that Catholics can participate in the ceremony of paying respects to our dead ancestors.
Most of the modern families are of mixed beliefs these days; where the both parents are of different religions and therefore, it is inevitable when you see altars of worship in the houses of Catholics.
The Church understands this and tries to blend into the culture; by giving a new idea to respect the Scriptures at the same time.
Being Catholics does not mean we are not able to fulfill filial piety as well, and we have to acknowledge the fact that we are here today because of our ancestors.
It is therefore not wrong to pay them respects.
Sure, in the Bible, it is mentioned that we are not to worship any other objects or deities except God himself or we are Pagans.
Therefore, it is an important to note that when we pay respects or participate in the worship ceremony of ancestors with our family/relatives, we are merely acknowledging our ancestors and we should not believe that their spirits still dwell within the ancestral tablets on the table nor should we see the tablets as direct representations of our ancestors themselves.
That would be a violation as we are praying TO the tablets; and believe that they hold divine power.
We are also allowed to hold joss sticks, and place them as a form of respect for the ancestors and also for the ceremony.
Fruits are also offered as a symbol and as part of the ceremony.
It is definitely a new evolution approach taken by the Church to blend into the different cultures in the world and to be friendly to the cultures practised around the world without prejudice.
I think it's pretty interesting and it is definitely a good way to show that we respect other religions and cultures without any discrimination.
Furthermore, the respect for ancestors is compulsory as we are standing here today because of their existence and teachings in the past to form us, the future generations who will continue the legacy of the family and of mankind.
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