There is this funny thing in the world called 'family'

One of the biggest realization from my trip to Hong Kong was about family and I have a lot of thoughts and reflections on it today.

'Family' are the closest strangers one will ever meet and be with in the world when one is born and come to this world. You have no choice in who they will be nor the fact that they are closely related to you - whether you like them or not. However, I am grateful for the creator (maybe it be Buddha or God or whoever else that I may not know) for making me a family of interesting individuals of which some are loving, warm, kind, caring while others are strange, rude, demanding and weird. Through so opposite, they all exist in one family; isn't this interesting don't you think?

I am someone who had been away from my hometown for 10 years until my recent visit; families are all I have got there even through not everybody is still alive that I knew as a child. Some had received me with great joy and love while others didn't seem to tell any difference whether I was there or not. This image warms my heart while it also breaks.

But God, I am determined to look on the bright side of every incidents that occur in my life. I am still grateful for those who love me after my 'disappearance' for 10 years, I have long to feel part of a bigger 'family' than my own immediate one. I think I now know what it means to be family. On the other hand, it is sad to see my invisibility to some part of my family. Gender inequality was rather clear and seemingly the social norm. The 'drumstick' phenomena hurts deeply as I understand the underneath meaning of the action. It is sort of a statement that says 'who cares if you are going to wed 'out' of the family soon and hasn't been around for 10 yrs, men are still more important' (even through they cause so much trouble and do so little while farting around). It also hurts when my offer of food (it's in Chinese culture for respect if done by a younger person to an older one or it represent love if it's the opposite) to a particular individual was rejected after much struggle within myself. Through I kept comforting myself tht I am proud of myself for stepping over my own limitation and boundaries; I know this is going to take a while for me to journey out of the pain it provokes in me.

God & Buddha, allow me to understand and be open hearted so that I may endure pain and suffering of the world brought upon me by myself or others directly or indirectly as well as intentionally or unintentionally. I ask that you will also give me the confident and strength to voice myself when it needs to be stopped and learn from all that I experience through life.

Lastly, thank you God & Buddha for my family; for both the loving ones and the not so understanding ones. At times they may seem demanding or challenging, but I trust that you have tasked me to face them all as learning and growing opportunities.