Lunar New Year - Family Time

Been meaning to jot down the significant events in 2006 in my circle of life, but could never find the time to sit down and write out my thoughts. Before I knew it, it's Chinese New Year's Eve already! *amazed*

Even as I am sitting in my room, churning out words that represent my thoughts, my folks are downstairs busy with preparation for tonight's big family reunion feast. My aunt from Indo just touched down yesterday with her husband. Every year, there's always this big reunion with my relatives and family members, with 2 steamboat pots that never stop boiling with ingredients, promising to fill our tummys with calories and tons of liquid!

Was having lunch with my colleagues yesterday after our site visit for some event and we were commenting on how the meaning of the Lunar New Year seems to fade with each coming year. A sad reality really. As I ponder over this, I wonder. "Has CNY really lost its meaning of family closeness, kinship ties and bonds over the years?"

For cousins whom I hardly got a chance to meet during the year, except for weddings & family functions, it's awkward having to see them again, not knowing how they are over the year and worst, forgetting whose kids they are! I don't like the idea that you only talk to your relatives ONLY when it's CNY - sorta becomes an obligation instead of a desire. You converse for the sake of holding a conversation rather than having a genuine concern for the other party's well-being.

While I am an advocate for family reunions & celebrations over the CNY period, I also believe that CNY only becomes meaningful when you take time over the year to connect once in a while with your relatives, even if it's via MSN, phone calls or smses. Otherwise, it becomes no more than an abrupt get-together of relatives by name but really strangers who share a meal over this occasion known as Lunar New Year.

And that would be meaningless. Wouldn't it?