i pray

i pray. yup. since young when i was occasionally asked to replace my mum's 'duty' to take 14 joysticks from the cabinet, go out to the 'GOD OF HEAVEN' there, put 3 joysticks onto the case filled with sand, then walked back in, put another 3 for the 'Doah PEK GONG', 5 for the 'TOR DE GONG', and finally 3 for the ancestors... my dear grandpa, grandma, their parents perhaps...and their grand grand parents... i always imagined them living in a nice house downthere having dinner together and listen to what i have to say in front of the altar.

when i prayed, i will asked for these :
请天公保佑，身体健康，顺顺利利。

in English, it will be
'dear GOD, i pray for healthy body and less obstacles in life.

and these words had become the most frequently appreared words in my mind...... more than anything else. imagine i actually think of these words for twice a day, numerous days a year, .... excluding the days in uni when i don't pray at all.

after i left home, somehow, the number of joysticks at home had changed to 13.. my mum is still doing her duty, my dad seems to be very serious with the praying too..all of a sudden.

seldom go home now.. not too sure what will be on the altar on the first and fifteen day of the month. only thing i can remember is that, in my last visit home, the tea for the TOR TEH GONG has changed to 3 cups of kopi o...

wonder if mum still pray the 'Poh Bu' in her room in the important days.. guess not anymore. all her children grow up already, the 'Poh Bu' has other small children to worry about.. and one more GOD.. my mum prayed at the back of the house, joysticks with a pack of white horse.... i always bought for them when i was small.. i can remember the price for the white horse was once 1.70... nowadays a pack of malboro cost 7.oo. time flies.

the praying starts all over again when i moved in to this new house. i pray,like my mother, undertaking the role of guardian to the house and family, i pray whole heartedly.. still the same words, twice a days, and i feel the answer of my prayers in the childhood was answered the first night i prayed in my own house.... and i know it will continue