Two weddings and a funeral..
Liza's Wedding
A Muslim Wedding
She was not someone who was close to me when we were in Secondary Three or even Four.
Only upon the O Levels Graduation
We went to NYJC together, went to the same Literature class together unknowingly..
And that was how I gradually got to know this crazy girl better..
And then finally during our 3 months short stint at IRAS, she became my lunch buddy and we got closer.
Just so happen the 2 of us got into SIM without even mentioning our next path to each other.
We'd exchange notes, confide in each other over money woes, lament about the long revision hours..
And after school,
We'd usually go shopping together and had a bonkers hell of fun..
In short, we watch each other grow through a small distance of life..
The area was decorated in the girly pastel hues.
I thought Malay weddings are almost always exquisitely decorated..
Intuitively,
They simply knew how to put all the right colors and the flow of drapes together,
All made possible without spending a bomb.
She arrived in her black gown with gold embroidery..
Soo pretty, absolutely her.
Her mascot, just as suave, in his number one.
They freed a pair of love birds, symbolically.
And then gave their speech.
Look at the happy bride and groom..
After a couple of heartbroken encounters,
She finally found one she could settle down with =)
*****
Jamie's Wedding
A Church Wedding
Funny how I attended the very few special kind of marriage unions.
And did not know how much ang bao to give -.-
The church was soooo in the midst of some private houses that no one knew where that was.
Okie if I tell you the church is at Highland Road..
Do you know where that heightened land was?
Not even the cab driver knew..
And I mean three different cab drivers.
Cos the three of us took cab separately and all got lost.
I knew Jamie during my 3 months IRAS stint.
Yes Liza and Jamie both knew each other.
Hahaha..
One wedded the beginning of May
The other the end of May.
When I first knew her..
She gave me the ridiculously smart impression.
She came from RGS and RJC then went on to Law School.
Indeed a pretty and outspoken academic I've personally known..
Hmm
A church wedding is a melodic one..
A lot of songs sung, a lot of recitals.
The procession took place longer than I thought.
After the solemnisation,
We proceeded to the hall for some light lunch.
Had a nice chat session with them..
Finally..
*****
The Wake
Honestly speaking,
I havent really been to one wake which I'm conscious of all the unmentionables.
You have to take a sweet and eat it
You have to take a red thread and then throw away..
You cant say hello or goodbye to the living loved one when you arrived or when you are leaving..?!
Qing's mom passed on.
Which I heard breast cancer discovered on Good Friday.
Exactly 8 weeks later, she left.
The minute I heard the news, I was..
Stunned.
My heart really went out to her.
I did not know how else to describe it.
Being the only child, the departure of one parent falls solely on her.
I guess no one would not know how to handle this in her shoes.
The pain of someone passing on is being borne by the living next of kin.
Very often we find ourselves not knowing what to ask or what to say to them.
Deaths are not something that you keep finding wood to touch at the mention of it.
The word funeral is not a taboo by itself.
They are merely the customary rituals that are followed through according to various cultures and religions.
Death is but part and parcel of life.
Death is so much more..
Everyone has to go through it.
Mentioning death does not mean that you will strike bad luck and die earlier..
Going to funerals does not mean you live a shorter life.
And touching wood all over the place doesnt mean the bad luck will go away if Murphy decides he is infatuated with you.
I honestly have no idea how the elders derived at some possibly superstitious illogical concepts.
Don't get me wrong.
I don't mock them and I will not refuse to conform..
It's just a train of why questions..
Being "pantang" has no boundaries if you ask me..
Absolutely anything can be taboo.
There is much more significance that people sometimes overlook by being too preoccupied with superstitions.
Attending a wake of someone whom you know of, or related to someone you know..
There is really no need to avoid it..
I thought it only shows the respect you have for the next of kin, the concern you have for him or her.
You never know how important your moral support is to them..
Life after the death of a loved one..
Brandish a whole new level of independence.
You need to adapt to life without the deceased..
You need to get used to the fact that he or she can never be around anymore.
You need to move on in life even though memories haunt you mercilessly..
You need to learn to cry freely.
Easier said than done.
But this is life.
*****
This stage's drama is filled with all things happy and sad.
We laugh we cry and laugh again.
Some celebrate their birthdays, walk down the aisle, or even welcome a child to this world..
And at the very same minute
Some discovered their terminal illnesses, mourn the loss of their loved ones, some passed on..
That veil of different scenes..
So far yet so near.
Just a lift of the curtain, the platform is but ONE.
*****
