Steadfast

Familiarity
With a routine that goes back as far as my memories can take me

Of sitting around the table
Of glowing red on the cheeks because of the heat
Of dropping slices of meat into the pot and not being able to find it
Of diligently chewing on semi-cooked food and insisting it’s cooked to avoid my cooking skills being the topic at the dinner table for yet another year
Of letting the steam mist those spectacles and cloud the vision
Of silently dumping the sea cucumber that I’ve fished out, back into the soup without being lectured on how nutritious they are and how I should not be picky about food

Although,
The table isn’t round
Functional metal spoons are used instead of exquisite porcelain ones meant for meals and soup like this
Going out for a meal will save much hassle of preparation, having to cook the food myself and having to clear up after dinner

But, there’s nowhere else that I can get away with
Using a fork for a hot pot dinner to poke the dumplings out of the pot without being stared at
Drinking fish maw soup, trying pineapple tarts, biting into bah kwa and washing it down with wine all within a meal
Sulking and snapping that I keep being prodded to eat more and having heaps of food put on my plate
Picking up and tucking the slice of abalone I dropped on the floor into my mouth with no hesitance

The hot pot broth,
Bland and clear in the beginning
Only gets richer and more flavourful
Because of the mesh of ingredients
That’s thrown in and left to brew and boil

Just like the family
Each one so different
But known and accepted, the way we are- the little good, some bad and much ugly
Some parts routine, some parts responsibilities, some parts obligations, and most parts
Just because we are family.
Just because they are the first pple we knew, played with, ate with, lived with,
Learnt about love and kinship and endured pain and hardships

Familiarity.
There were years i dreaded it. Resisted it. Wish I could avoid it.
But this year... in the Lord's presence, I snuggle in the steadfast and abundant love of family.

Happy Chinese New Year dear all.