The wonder of being in an extended family

Here i am... still in a daze. Always sleeping... kinda like i am drugged. I am still jet lagged. Something must be wrong.

Came home last Saturday nite... and was whooshed over to see my cousin in the hospital. Very sick, she was happy to see me. I squeeze her hands and she responded by smiling. She was weak after the chemo. She ask me for pictures of Bebe J. I said i'll bring tomorrow. When i was away, i was worried that i might not be able to come back in time to see her :(

I went again the next day with pictures of Bebe J. But she was too sick to see. She was breathing heavily but smiled when i still show it to her. Everyday is like a big struggle to keep alive. Her will power to live is very strong. In any kind of sickness, if your willpower is strong, you still have a fighting chance. The faces i see that surrounded her, were all forlorn. Only the sick is still keen on fighting. The rest has some what lend it all to fate.

Families keep dropping in and out... bringing food for the sick and for the waiting. If you have never been sick and lying on the white bed, you will never know how it feels to be the sick one. We are helpless just hanging out at the hospital. Just talking among ourselves. But still giving each other some support. That is when the extended family's wonder came along.

I come from a huge family. I grow up with many cousins and ran, cycle, play with them as long as i can remember. My friends are my cousins. We have huge gatherings and each time there's lotsa food around. Picture taking and lots of catching up. Chinese New Year is like a gathering of sorts where all the family from the near and far, from the biggest to the smallest will talk eat talk eat and still talk. And then there's the picture taking. Everytime one of us is sick, so many will come a visiting with comfort food and talk but no picture taking. There's always family around in all seasons of our life. And did i tell you about weddings... the whole ging gang will make it a point to dress up and come no matter how far or near they are.

When sis gave birth to Bebe J, i wish i had the whole family around. It was just the three of us. Clueless and just three of us. Now there's only two of them to take care of the lil one. They will be fine but how nice it would be if there's more hands to help and more blessings for the lil one. More hands to hold him and play with him. More faces to entertain him and teach him. And let the mother rest and build up her energy again.

And that is when the importance of being in an extended family comes along. Don't push people away when they want to help. Listen when people have something to teach. And always surround yourself with good friends and family... plus a few dogs.

When i came home... the dogs that live in my extended neighbourhood... came over to see me. hahahahaha.. You might not believe me... but Fei Fei.. Johnny's dog... came by to say hi yesterday. And waiting for me to stroke his nose. He is a huge black and white dog. Friendly and big. The two dogs that live beside me even jumped up to say hi. They have grown much bigger too and a whole lot more excited... hahhahahahhaa.. Even dogs love to live in an extended family.

My extended family extends to almost the whole neighbourhood. These people have known me since i was a little kid. I lived here almost all my life. We look out for each other and its a joy to be back home again.