Eric Kim Dong Uk, Grade 10, Fairview
International School
Family Traditions
Gustav
Mahler once said that tradition is not the worship of ashes but the
preservation of fire. From where I am from, tradition is very important. It is
especially important for my family. There are many traditions my family has
adopted from our culture. One that has stood out the most is the tradition of
commemorating a late family member on the anniversary of their death. This
tradition has stood out to me because it is one that I think is very important
and meaningful. During this occasion, we always do three main things.
First, every
one of the deceased’s relatives comes together for this occasion. Since the
commemoration of a death in the family is very important, every one of them
does this. No one wants to be alone going through these hard times. This is why
we always gather as a family for the comfort of one another. Even when sometimes
circumstances don’t make it easy for the family to be together, we always try
our best since we don’t want each other to go through these hard times alone.
Going through the death of a loved one is very painful, so we make we are there
for one another.
Secondly, we
recite passages from the bible and sing hymns. Many of my family members are Christians,
so reciting passages and singing hymns from the bible are ways of commemorating
the deceased. We recite passages that remind us of the deceased person and what
he or she was like. Every one of us sings from our hearts and recites the
passages with sincerity. There is also time to share our encounters,
experiences and memories we have of the deceased. Even if one isn’t Christian,
one is welcome to join in. This part of the evening is done with the most
sincerity and solemnity as it is the main part of remembering our experiences
with a family member no longer with us.
Finally, we
all eat dinner together cooked by our family. Since many family members are
gathered together, the meal is a huge one. We spend a long time cooking this
meal for everyone. We all eat a meal together in honor of the deceased and in
memory of him. Although the reason everyone is gathered together is a sad one,
all of us end up catching up with one another and having a joyful meal. What
starts out as a sad and heartbreaking evening, turns into a good and joyous one
where everyone remembers that we all want each other to be happy and so would
the late family member.
To sum up,
the death of a family member is a difficult occasion to go through but this
tradition helps to make it easier and also for us to remember that person.
Therefore, we always make sure to attend this event.
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