tradition

today, i'm thankful for the traditions in my life, and for being Chinese. i'm really glad that i can speak Cantonese, though broken a little, and for celebrating Chinese New Year, Mooncake Festival, GohTong etc. Cause all these mean meeting up with relatives we'd hardly see otherwise, and it stresses the importance of family. in the west, it's common for kids to move out of their parents house after a certain age, and for kids to obtain loans to pay for their own tertiary studies and then pay it back in later years. but my family's never been like that, my parents love having us at home, no matter how old we are, and my dad always considers it his duty to support me throughout my education, and expects me to have the same responsibility towards my own future children. he's really cool huh! :)

and i'm reminded of all the other little 'traditions' we follow at home, like how we always wait for our dad to start eating before we do, the whole 'daddy eat, mummy eat' before we eat, eating together (almost always), cny gambling, watching movies together at home.. that's all i can think of now heh. and also, one of my favourites, the way me, my sisters and my cousins would discuss outside a relative's house all the different 'titles/callings' of our aunties and uncles and granduncles etc., making sure we stick together throughout the 'battlefield' and waiting for someone to be the first to call a particular relative. :P

in the car later, we discussed all the different titles people get, like what my sisters kids will call me. i'm gonna be sam yi! or sa ee, which sounds nicer. hahah, so we're gonna be tai yi, yi yi and me, sam yi. :) my daddy's gonna be yeye and my mum popo(right?), and my sister's hubby will be my jefu etc. then i asked my dad why i didn't get a cool name like my granduncle, ji jik kong, it's super nice to say wan! to which he replied.. because you are not a man! lol. but yea.. i'm gonna be 'sam yi' one day, and even 'sam yi po'. :) nice huh! my dad even continued to explain his family tree to me and my sister, from his grandfather's siblings onwards. :P

i love this chinese heritage we observe, of calling older relatives by the right titles. i wonder if i will know all these next time if my kids ask me what my sister's husband's uncle etc. is to them. hahah. but one things for sure, this is definitely something i would like them to learn. :)

after that we came home and watched fiddler on the roof! :) really REALLY old show (1859), but it was pretty sweet here and there. :) i like these quotes..

He loves her. Love, it's a new style... On the other hand, our old ways were once new, weren't they?
-Tevye

On the other hand, did Adam and Eve have a matchmaker?...Well, yes, they did. And it seems these two have the same Matchmaker.*points to the heavens*
-Tevye

(to God) As the Good Book says...(laughs) Why should I be telling you what the good book says?
-Tevye

i love Tevye's relationship with God, how as he walked down the street doing his work, he'd just carry a conversation with God so naturally. that's the kind of relationship i aspire to have with God. :) to really see Him as a full-time best friend. :)
and my possibly favourite scene was when Chava said goodbye and he pretended he didn't care, but whispered "may God be with you" as she walked away. so SWEET! :)

that's all for now i think,
good night! love loads,
candice :)