A tribute to my grandfather

This is a tribute I wrote to my Grandfather who transitioned on March 31, 2022 - the eve of the New Moon in Aries. If you're interested, please feel free to read it and let his contagious smile invite you to also smile.

This smiling, dancing man is my paternal grandfather, Tong Nhan. Or A Con in Chinese, ông nội in Vietnamese.

He was funny. Always cracking jokes.

He was resilient, courageous and brave having left China at 10 years old to work in Vietnam, alone.

He guided his family of 11 out of the war, to a refugee camp in Malaysia and eventually immigrating to Canada.

He was an amazing chef. If you told him you liked a dish, he'd make it for you every time you visited.

He taught me to dip my Chinese doughnuts in my coffee.

He taught me to smell and distinguish Vietnamese herbs the ones he grew vibrantly in his garden.

He was well respected in the Vietnamese refugee community, a community leader of sorts.

As I grieve and celebrate him I sit with many emotions - sadness, pride, peace and mostly... gratitude.

I also find it very special that he passed on the eve of the New Moon in Aries. A magical time to embrace the natural cycles of death, birth, transformation and rebirth.

His spirit and legacy will continue through me, and his 11 kids, 30 grand kids and 4 great grand kids (yes, we a big family!).

I am reminded of my spiritual teacher Thich Nhat Hanh's poem, No Coming, No Going.

If you're experiencing grief whether from a death of a loved one, a loss of a relationship or even a death of an old way of being right now, let this be a reminder that you're not alone. That all of your feelings are valid. That it's a journey and process. Be kind to yourself.

I'm honoured to have a new spirit guide.