I think as a grandson who knew little about my grandmother, it is my sacred duty to know more about her, even if she has already died. So as I was folding the Reincarnation Charms, I listened (and wrote down) my grandma's story...

Ah Ma was an adopted daughter.
Her adopted father was a man who makes paper house for the dead. He earns $1 a day, a huge amount in old times, and $1.50 when he goes overtime. He was an elite of his profession.
Her adopted father loves her a lot, and often treats her with duck rice and theatre performances.
He would die when she was 15. He was the main financial support of the family, and when he died, their main source of income died along with him. Ah Ma would marry to support her adopted mom.
Her 1st husband dotes on her, but loves to gamble.
They would have their 1st child, a male, but he would die soon after.
When she was 18 years old, she gave birth to a daughter, who I would know as 2 Ee.
After the 2nd world war, she gave birth to another daughter, 3 Ee. She was 24. Her 1st husband would die soon after.
The death of her husband would leave the family financially tight. Ah Ma has both 2 Ee and her mom to take care off. In desperation, she gave the 3 Ee away to her neighbour.
She also took up a new job as a laundry woman to support 2 Ee and her mom.
As 3 Ee was given to her neighbour, Ah Ma was able to see her everyday. Unfortunately, she cannot acknowledge her or be too close to her, as it would be inappropriate. However, she stills gives clothes to 3 Ee during Chinese New Year.
Looking at the poor financial state of Ah Ma, a friend of hers introduces a man to her so that she would marry again. That man would become her 2nd husband, as well as my mom’s father. He would be Ah Gong.
As Ah Gong has a youthful complexion to him, Ah Ma would only realize that he is actually 23 years older than him when he actually moved in to her house. Ah Ma was 25 when they married.
Ah Gong was a divorcee. He divorced with his wife as she gambles too much. He would bring a daughter from his previous marriage to the new one.
The Stepdaugther, would is Tua Ee, was only younger then Ah Ma by 10 years. This creates lots of conflicts between them.
Tua Ee was lazy and decadent, and would leave all the housework to 2 Ee and Ah Ma.
She would love to go to her aunts house, which is bigger and more spacious as her aunt’s husband was a landlord, and have her meals there. She would then complain about Ah Ma there.
This would have the aunt complain to Ah Gong, who in turn berates Ah Ma.
Ah Gong would move in to Ah Ma’s house at Amoy Street.
Ah Ma gave birth to Daddy a year later. She was 26. Ah Ma’s mother would die a year after he was born.
Ah Ma gave birth to Ah Ee 2 years after Daddy was born. She was 28.
3 years after that, Ah Ma, now 31, would give birth to another daughter.
2 Ee, now 13, dotes on her newest sister. Unfortunately, the financial burden to support 3 daughters, including 1 step daughter, and a son was too great. To support the rest of the family, Ah ma would give her newest daughter to another person, Mrs A.
Mrs A could not have children of her own, and was persuaded to adopt a baby by her mother-in-law. Her family would return to China soon after, bringing Ah Ma’s daughter with them.

Mrs A’s husband would have an affair there, driving Mrs A to suicide. Ah Ma’s daughter was then given to another family as noone was left to take care of her.
Fortunately, this daughter would live. When she was 15, she would send letters back to Ah Gong telling him of her life in China. She had a good adopted father who was good to her.

Ah Gong was a coolie, and as such his jobs were part time. Jobs weren’t so much during the time. As such, Ah Ma and 2 Ee would wash mosaic tiles to supplant family income.
Ah Ma would have a miscarriage before her gave birth to Ah Ku. She was 33.
To supplant family income, Ah Ma would work as a Long Sai. Long Sai’s are people who wash the ships.

Being a Long Sai is a dangerous profession. As such the pay is high.
There was this incident when one of the British engineers was suddenly immolated. The engineer was courageous enough to muster enough willpower to climb all the way up to the top of the ship, where it was non-flammable compared to the rest of the ship, to roll himself out of the fire. He was immolated all these while. His brave actions prevented the ship from being burned to the sea, but he would die later from the burns.

Another incident was when Ah Ma was resting in the boiler room during break. Suddenly, she felt uncomfortable, as the planks below her feels weird. She moved to another spot, and as she sat, the planks she sat before burst forth hot gushes of boiler water.

As a Long Sai, Ah Ma would have to contend with people politics as well. One day, while she was resting at the roadside, another Long Sai poured water in the direction of Ah ma, wetting her as well. Ah ma asked her why she did that, knowing very well Ah ma was sitting there. The woman never replied and a while later, she poured water towards the same direction again. Ah Ma never spoke a word, found herself a pail of water, when directly infront of the woman, and splashed her in the face. She said angrily: “I’ve already asked you to stop pouring water at me, but you never answered me. You think I’m easy to eat?” One of Ah Ma’s philosophies would be “Don’t buly people and never let people bully you.”

As Ah Ma and 2 Ee was working, Ah Ee was placed in the care of 2 Ee’s husband’s mother (before 2 Ee got married). One day Ah Ee got measles, but the mother cannot see, as the old living conditions were poor and light was scarce. She even bring Ah Ee to bathe. People who suffer from measles cannot bathe. Only when Ah Ee displays weird behaviours like stoning did Ah Ma realize something is amiss. Ah Ee survived the ordeal.

Ah Ma would have another miscarriage before she gave birth to my Mom. She was 38. Mom was born at 3.45am. Ah Gong was 61 then.
Ah Gong got lots of jobs after mom was born, and as such mom’s life was considerably better compared to her other siblings. Ah Ma also stopped working.
One day, when Mom was young and playing at a friend’s house, her friend’s father would recognize her as Ah Gong’s daughter and joked that Ah Gong was so old, yet still fathers a child.
When Mom was 1 years old, she likes to run about. One day, she suddenly stopped running, which troubled Ah Gong. Ah Gong asked Ah Ma to bring Mom to the hospital, to find out that Mom has Polio. Mom would stay at the nursing home for a long while. This would also be the cause of mom’s thin arms.

Behind the nursing home was a beach. Ah Ma would bring Mom to play there. One day, during low tide, mom would wonder closer to the edge of the sea, only to fid the tides suddenly rushing towards the shore. At first it would reach Ah Ma’s ankle, then her lower thigh. Seeing something is amiss. Ah Ma quickly grabbed Mom and brought her to shore, just in time before the tide went all the way where they reached Ah Ma’s waistline.
When mom was discharged from the nursing home, 2 Ee got married. 2 Ee was 23.

In her many years of life she would have a grandson, my older brother, and teached him the correct values and showered him with love so much so that in the funeral he too is one of those who are most saddened by her passing.

And the story goes on.

She has lead a lively life, and a saddening, life, but even then when she died she had many children, many grandchildren, and great grand children as well. Or should I say Ah Gong had my descendants instead. It doesn't matter, for in the end, her funeral would be attended by many, a grand event. More than what a Chinese can ask for.

Many coincidental things happened before, during and after the funeral, like she died after our family prayed to the Sky Deity, who she respect the most and would never miss the yearly ritual. Perhaps she have held her last breath so that we, the family, can pray to the Sky God. Families with deaths cannot pray to Him for a year.

She now rests with Ah Gong, the 2nd husband, in Bright Hill. I hope she can find peace and happiness and that she'll bless her descendants with more descendants. I am no believer in the Patriarchal kind of blood inheritance (that is why the male is more important in Chinese culture). The blood of your ancestors, male or female, will flow through your veins whether you want it or not. This blood is what binds you to the family. Its what makes some magic strong and other magic stronger. its what makes us stronger.

Fate bless all in my bloodline.