Life IS too short.

Well, yesterday's big dinner at KLCC was cancelled. I had to leave KL in the afternoon because my aunt had passed away a few days earlier and the funeral was suddenly scheduled to be on Saturday. So, left at about 4pm+ and just sped off to Alor Setar, which is kinda near Penang, further north abit.
The drive was pretty uneventful, and then when we reached the Memorial place, some of my cousins, uncles and aunts were already there. My cousins - Jennifer and Howard (my aunt's children), flew back from England to be here. It was pretty sad stuff, i mean, they were all the way like half way across the globe, and their mom suddenly passed away. Shit that sucks.

Well then we had this guy come in jeans and a tee saying something in chinese about burning something, then next thing you know he has on his Taoist priest garbs, yellow robe + hat and all. There was this huge paper house in the middle of a large circle, surrounded by some yellow paper that was meant to be offerings to support my aunt in her afterlife. The house was like friggin huge, i think about 7 feet high? Anyways, we were then led round the thing carrying jaw sticks (not sure if i spelled this right), led by the chanting "Taoist priest". Then we stood in front of the offerings, said some last words and burnt the thing. We stood in a large circle, surrounding the burning thing. Ash was circling the air, and after everything burnt, we went round back, and had to wash our hands to "cleanse" them or something. Well, it was my first time experiencing or doing anything of this sort, so all this is was extremely new to me.
(I will be posting a video of this procession later)

Then we waited for my other cousins and aunt to arrive before heading off to our hotel, StarCity. Was very worn out by the time i finished showering and everything, at about 1am. But had to wake up pretty early for a ceremony before the actual cremation. Turns out she didn't want to be buried. Well, for me, i personally wouldn't want to be cremated. I'd rather be preserved.. but that's me.
We then had to do, in my opinion, the saddest thing of the day. I had to go and look into the casket, and take one last look at my aunt, before they closed the lid, and nailed the coffin shut. It was eerie, yet comforting, because when I saw her, I felt that she was actually at peace.
Then the casket was loaded onto a van, and we slowly followed it to the crematorium. We paid our last respects, and watched the coffin slide into the room where she would be incinerated later. Silence and tears followed.
I'm saying all this very bluntly, but there is simply no other way to put it.

Everyone met up later for lunch before checking out of the hotel. We all felt at ease, I'm sure, because we had done what she had wanted. And cliché as it may sound, I'm sure she would want us to stay strong.
So this one's for you.
Rest in peace Tai Yee.
Love, Jann.