apparently because of the extremely hot weather. I would like to pretend everything is okay but there is no denying the diversity of emotions during the event, for afterwards, we still have to attend to the wake of our dear aunt.
Even in fictions, I do not even know of a story having a family celebrating the wedding of a family member and at the same time undertakes the customs and ceremonies of another family member's death. The 1994 comedy movie "Four weddings and a funeral" did not even have these two events together in one scene. As far as I can remember and understand, the customs that I grew up with does not even encourage a family member to get married on the same year of the death of another family member. To some, it is simply a sign of respect, while to others, it is a way of letting the bad luck fade away first. Well, they say, it depends on how close they are related. For me, it just sounds odd and unimaginable that I even hesitated many times whether to write about it or not.
So how can we be so insensitive to push through with a rejoicing event when it was supposed to be sad times by tradition for a family? There is a special reason for such mixing of events - something to do with the role of our resting aunt in the couple's love story. They say my aunt was very instrumental on how the lovers made it from how they got to know each other until they finally decided to tie the knot. During her last days, they say, she was very excited about the coming wedding that the other relatives agreed to push through with the wedding schedule before bringing her to her final resting place. Others would say that if she could send us a message, she would be the first to insist in pushing through with the wedding.
Sad ending? I even see more beginnings than endings in this mixture of events: a soul entering a new phase of existence; a new chapter of life for a son, a daughter, and a husband; and a couple on their way to starting a new family!
“Congratulations to Au and Rolley”
“Godspeed to Auntie Sita”
