5-4-26
Today on Easter Sunday & Qing Ming morning, a single desert rose bloomed in my home.
Easter Sunday celebrates the resurrection of Christ. Qing Ming Day marks the period of ancestor veneration.
10 days ago, my first younger brother sent me pictures of the desert roses he’s been cultivating.
“This new flower I grafted on papa old tree,” he texted.
Like my dad, he’s also a man of few words. The joy of his flowers thriving on our late dad’s tree must have given him the impetus to say something.
Growing up we spoke little. We learnt that words can be repeated, misinterpreted & even weaponised. Better to speak less, and do more.
Over the years we’ve learnt that the windows to communication can come in the form of sharing food, looking at flowers & admiring religious artefacts.
My brother brings me food now & then when he comes across tasty fares, gets me jasmine garlands for full/ new moon & shows me details in religious figurines.
And eventhough our dad is not with us now, and we have hardly any memory of conversations with him, we’ve come to associate the Desert Rose with him.
Perhaps for some of us, due to circumstances or our personality, words fail us. And in that void of silence, benevolent actions bloom. 🙏
Lisa Ong 