Happy Chinese New Year, folks! Wishing all of you good health, happiness and an abundance of opportunities to do good!
Every Chinese New Year I am reminded of how wise my maternal dragon-hearted grandmother was.
There was one Chinese New Year where we were at her house and I broke a glass. The glass crashed to the floor to smithereens. My Por-Por said, “drop to the ground, open flower” (literal translation of the Cantonese saying), took the broom and dustpan without a second thought and swept it all up.
I am so grateful I am descended from a line of practical humans who prioritise safety and will use common sense, above all else.
It is fun to keep some cultural practices, but not at the expense of one’s safety and common sense (I am talking about using the broom on the first day of CNY here).
And yes, I am on a quest to protest the lighting of fire crackers and fireworks during CNY because it is harmful to animals and the environment. It is a lone battle but one worth fighting for. Let’s not be a hypocrite and say we are “going green” but come festivals, fire crackers and fireworks get an “exception”. Why should it?
Gong Xi Fa Cai!
