Year of the Rat begins on 7th Feb 2008. We, the ethnic Chinese in Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, and those in Melbourne, Cairo, Moscow, Paris, London and Boston, and all other placess of the world, will be celebrating Chinese New Year together with the Chinese in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau and China tomorrow.
By the way, how many of you know that the Koreans, the Vietnamese and Mongolians are also celebrating for their Lunar New Year which falls on the same day as the Chinese New Year?
“Rush Home” is the headline on today’s Star newspaper. It reported that a million of travellers were on the road as Chinese New Year exodus began. My two brothers, Kong Fatt and Kong Teck, and their wives and children together with my sister and her son are leaving KL at about 3pm to Segamat to celebrate Chinese New Year with us. Kong Teck and wife took a MAS flight to KLIA from Sibu this morning. We expect them to arrive in the evening to have family reunion dinner, all dishes specially cooked by my wife, on the eve of Chinese New Year.
I came back much earlier on 2 Feb, taking the 1525WIB MAS flight from Medan to KLIA. My wife and our youngest daughter, Josephine, drove all the way from Segamat to fetch me from KLIA. Our elder son, James, arrived home at about 11am this morning. He came back in his friend’s car, leaving Singapore at 6am. Our eldest daughter, just given birth to a baby boy, Jonas, in early morning on 16 January, is staying back in Kuching and not able to join us. So are Julie and John. Both of them are still in Melbourne, Australia.
To all my friends, pals and buddies, I wish you “Gong Xi Fa Cai” (in Mandarin) or “Kong Hee Fatt Choy” (in Cantonese). May you and your families be blessed and may you prosper as we celebrate a joyful and happy Chinese New Year on 7 Feb 2008.
2 comments:
Dear planter,
Gong xi fatt chai.
best regards
lai
Wow! U really had a wonderful CNY reunion with your brothers & family. CNY is the time to get together for families and old friends. Unfortunately as we grow older. old friends don'r come back anymore. They have uprooted themselves and settled elsewhere. Just like u, u have no more roots in K.Lipis except an old friend like me still clinging to good old small kl. Your famous Bakawali Tailor,which used to broadcast Cliff Richard and Elvis songs has now become Low Kuan Seafood Restaurant with all the Marlyn Monroe pictures to remind us of the great Hollywood stars of yesteryear. I remember during my younger days, I always looked forward to CNY to see old friends coming back to our home town to celebrate CNY with their families. I always would look out of my window to see who's coming back. It's all very exciting. As time went by. less and less are coming back and I felt very lonely as I was still a bachelor then at 29. So I think it's time to get married. But to who? Hadn't found one yet! Finally got hitched at 33.
That's history, too long to relate here, maybe next time.
It's nice to see that ur brothers and families still have reunion dinners with u every CNY. I used to host reunion dinners in my house with my brothers, JP and J.Sing. When J.Sing got married. he would go to his in-laws' place in Kampar every CNY. JP & wife came back for 2 years and after that they stayed put in KL. Only my children came back for the reunion. Two daughters are in Penang and my son is attached to Sungei Siput Hospital as a MO. If u do not know where SS is. It's about 30 km from Ipoh, the former stronghold of Datuk Samy V- now defeated. My youngest is still studying in MMU. That's life, my friend. As we grow older and presumerly wiser, we should count our blessings for all He has given us. We should make use of what we have and be happy. The main principle in life is : Don't be extravagant unnecessarily. Spend wisely and u will not be in want. Be friendly and helpful as far as possible. Don't be selfish. Last but not the least DON'T BE CRUEL ( so sings Elvis). Jming
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