So we are 30 days into Lent. We have a new pope. Do we have new hope? I guess where there is life, there’s hope.
I learned today that my aunt, my ah yee had passed away a few days ago. She died at home amid her family in New York City. She was 93, a good age. Even so, she will be greatly missed.
My ah yee lived with us for awhile when we were in Hong Kong. She came to keep my mother, my sister and me company. My sister was only a baby then. She’s called Me Jing in Chinese, Me for short. My father, grandmother and uncles had left for Canada and we were alone. It was good Ah Yee came to be with us. She was good company and helped with household chores and taking care of my sister.
Ah Yee lived with us till my father was able to send for us. Sometimes she went back to spend time with her parents (my other grandparents) and her children. During those times her oldest daughter would come and stay with us. I liked that very much, too. I was the only child for eight years and it was such luxury to have an older sister/cousin. It felt akin to New Year’s Eve sleepovers.
I think our time together in Hong Kong was almost a year. And what a wonderful year, thinking back. There was such a feeling of warmth, caring and security in our house of women and children. My sister was an early talker and talk and sing she did. Her world was consisted of three people and she frequently sang: Ah Yee, Mama, and Me over and over.
