Celebrating Life

The first post of 2012 will not be a happy one I'm afraid. Last month, Hubby was admitted to the hospital for the first time for a very bad asthma attack and the next day we lost our Aunty Rita. She had a mild heart attack at home but was brought to the hospital and stabilised. Then during her angiogram she had a mild stroke and never came out of it. I've only known her for over 2 years but she would never fail to light up whenever she saw me. She always complained that she ate too much (she was a tiny, tiny lady) and always had lots of fun wherever she went. At a first glance you'd think she was just a quiet, old lady who didn't have much to say but if you just sat next to her and said hello, you'd realise that you couldn't be further away from your first impression.

Her funeral was the first one I have experienced as a daughter-in-law and I was surprised at how composed everyone was. Instead of grieving, everyone accepted that it was her time to go and join the Lord and her late husband. They spoke so fondly of her and really celebrated her life. I guess in a way, it shows how many people the family have lost and how they've really come to understand that eventually life does come to an end and perhaps life itself is suffering and death gives you the eternal rest that we all long for.

We will miss you dearly Aunty Rita and I am so glad to have met you.

'Eternal rest grant unto Aunty Rita O Lord and let perpetual light shine upon her'