Family Spirit

               This week was the week before Lunar New Year time. All family members will gather this year so Papa Weilong, Mama Shin Yi and Meimei are all prepared for go back to Papa’s side home of grandparents’. Nina who was the eldest daughter in this family didn’t want to go to grandparents place. She was out of her family plan but Papa warned her to pack things she wanted to take over to Nainai’s place. But she said “Papa I didn’t want to go, can I leave here like this, I won’t be helpful to you if we were there” then mama said “if she didn’t want to go there, just left her here for living on her own”. She was only 12 years old she can’t do anything without Mama’s help and auntie’s help. At that time, Papa told her about what is family spirit. Family Spirit means acceptance, belonging and care for everyone. It means to capture the importance of every person and every child to have and experience "the family spirit" - a place where you are accepted, belong and receive unconditional care and support. She did understand what her father wanted to say but for her she knew she had no choice for her however she didn’t want to. she decided to go there with her family members. Papa get ready at early morning and mama wake them up at their bed. Then, both of them tried to wash their face first and wore the dresses mama’s choose for them and grab their bags. When they reached to their living room, Papa was already on the car and waited for them. They walked over there with lazy steps. Mama shout at them “hurry up or we will be late”. They get into the car and Papa start driving the car.

                           On the road, Meimei had conversations with parents much and Nina sit next to the window and place the ear speakers in her ear and play the music for get out from this situation here. Mama’s know what she up to so she gave a boiled egg over her but she didn’t move her head to mama’s. Mama need to feed her by herself she put the egg to her mouth. She was shocked and said “Mama what are you doing”. Mama smiled and said “you might be hungry now because you two are sleep head who can’t catch the breakfast”. She was angry but she ate the boiled egg that mama feed her. Meimei jealous on her and said “Mama loved her the most papa”. Papa laughed at her and said “of course she was the first child in this family”. Their condition was much better now Nina unplugged her ear plugs and conversation with her parents all along the road. Half road went passed and Nina said “Papa how far will we need to go not far now”. But later, the gas ran out on the bridge and they don’t know where they were now. So, Nina gave a suggestion for her parents to ask someone’s near or search on a GPS. Unluckily, GPS didn’t say a right thing to them. They said “what should we do now”. Her parents and her all open their phone and try to make an emergency call. But there had no signal here. Luckily they saw a resident person who pass the road by bicycle. Papa go forward to him and ask him a help. He seemed like a nice person. He went back to his village and get back to their car with other people who will help them to get into the village.

                           Papa said when he went back into car, this person was his childhood friend and now they don’t have to worry anymore. Grandparent’s home was inside the village. Nina felt down so much because she can’t live in the village without signal. The villagers took their car by big car. So, Papa didn’t have to drive now. After three hours later, they reached to the gate of the huge house in the village. Meimei asks “Papa is it your home”. Papa smiled at them and greeting everyone now we are home. The relatives came in front of home and greet them. Nina hated them mostly. Then, their family went into the home past the main gate. The grandparents were wait for them at the main room. Nina greets to the grandfather and grandmother first and her papa and mama greet them in traditional way bow to the parents. Grandparents didn’t scram on her because like Papa said Meimei know her position in this family now, her sister was the first born child for this family’s grandchildren. She was the eldest grandchildren in this Hua family. However her parents told her to not to do this things to your grandparents Nina resisted them. She sit upon grandma’s leg and ate the pomegranate inside the plate they placed at the center of the desk between them. Grandma loved to see she ate well and she asked her what she would like to eat. But the relatives didn’t like her characteristic at all. Because all of them are here for preparing for New Year meeting and working hard together and the reason why they are here for gathering was being for family spirit.

                               After Nina and Meimei’s parents done their greeting and conversation with grandparents and other elders, Mama took Nina back and then head over to their room. In home, their family room was where Papa lived and stays inside home before he got marry with mama. So, Nina asks that was you room Papa. Papa said “Yes, I learned, studied and do my favorite things in this room and I had a lot of memories in here, now I am so glad that my two princesses are here for visit my room”. Parents placed the stuffs they took here but Nina and Meimei look around their father’s room all around. Nina was searching over the bookshelf and she found the love letters of her father hide at secret place inside hollow book. When she found it, she asked to Papa “what are these Papa”. Papa was shocked and said “it’s nothing honey put it back in” but Mama saw it and took these letters from her and watch it. Mama seemed so angry on face but she controls her temper. Then, she head over to kitchen for helping other sisters in law in this family. Papa said “you are so naughty girl” and then he head over to grandfather’s library for meet his father at there. Nina was happy now and she needs to find others to make a joke. Elder people in the family knew she was childish and always making a joke like a kid when family members around. However she moved away from family the ties that bind the family was stronger than stranger. Grandparents said family spirits was the most important things for holding this family much stronger for years. Family members wanted to pass this family meeting on New Year well. They tried hard in their parts very well but she is the one who want to make a trouble like a child. 

She destroy the finished dumpling on the table and then MaMa's saw what she did. Then, she stop herself from screaming to her she grab her to the corner of the kitchen and said "what did you do stop being destroying others' work, go over to grandma's room and try to help her". She was trying to make someone's trouble but she was so sorry for her behaviors at that time. She went back to grandma's room as her mother's said. When she turned back to grandma's room, she heard the screaming voices inside the kitchen. She knew that she had to fix this back. So, she came back to the kitchen and told them what she did but it was just an accident she was try to joke over fat aunty who washed the vegetables. Her family members in the kitchen were mad on her at that time but they let her go by saying "they are so glad for her because she knew her faults and took the duties on what she done before". They let her fix both problem and her behavior this time so she need to help them while preparing foods. She was going well with aunties now. She knew what the family spirit was.