Say Boo to Salem, my trusty kitty ghost mug from @sebastian_chongg!
My heart is usually aflutter with an electric buzz in anticipation of Halloween and of course, Christmas!
However this year – it all felt completely the opposite.
After my beloved Ah Gong passed away in May and B had to go for several surgeries, it’s been a truly testing year for us.
Knowing that our Christmas get together this year would be missing one special place at the dining table, it had me torn up inside and instead of looking forward to it, I was starting to dread it.
As they say, memories that once made you laugh now make me want to cry and those memories that made me cry now make me want to laugh.
Anyone who’s followed me will know how much I adore these times but this year, I just found myself questioning so many things and whether there was any point celebrating.
Recently, B was given the all clear and suddenly, there seemed to be some glimmer of hope. It dawned on me that while a lot has happened, I’m still so fortunate and still have so much to be grateful for. It helped me draw some perspective on what matters and what doesn’t.
I have my beloved Ah Ma, my parents and B, all there championing my corner in the game of life and as I sat down to centre myself, that spark started to reappear.
If anything is clear, it’s that life is fickle, short and I can’t sit around moping and lose valuable time that I could be spending with my loved ones and doing things I find meaningful.
With B by my side, better late than never, the Halloween decorations finally came out and so did that warm fuzzy feeling I always get this time of year. The excitement and anticipation started to return.
I know in my heart Ah Gong is always with me and there’s no way he’d want me sitting there like a recluse in a corner, abandoning everything that was important to me.
So with Ah Gong in my heart and everyone else who’s been there supporting me all the way, let’s have some fun! Because life’s too serious and no one gets out alive anyway!
I was scared of all the things that happened but now I’m more scared of all the opportunities I might miss, so let’s make the most of it!
Bring it on, Christmas! 🎄
