Tomb sweeping day. Wings for burning.

Getting stuck in the huge traffic jam in the morning, I felt nervous instead of being annoyed. After a year long separation, I finally got a chance to meet my ancestors.
It just gave me a feeling of what family really means. When we got there, my grandma was already waiting eagerly for our arrival. I chatted with her in my very poor Taiwanese.
She seemed excited and asked me about my school life. We just had too much to talk about. I am lucky to have such a caring grandmother.
In the afternoon, we packed up our offerings and farm tools, leaving for the graveyards.
The journey was hard all the way, because we had to walk over long weeds and soft mud which became wet after the rain.
Weeds grew over our ancestors’ graves, and the carved tomb stones were covered with waterproof mud, which I found to be an ants’nest.
The ants were so smart to use waterproof mud to make their nest. After we clear all the weeds off the tomb, we displayed offerings and burned some incense.
I picked three incense sticks, walked to the front, and started to prey. I prayed that the world would be peaceful, that I could excel at my school work,
and that I would have a nice girlfriend soon. Next, we burned the “gold paper” (money for the dead.) I asked why we had to fold the paper before throwing it into the flames.
My father told me that folded paper provided more space with air for the fire to burn. I was amazed at the custom and the wisdom of the ancestors.
We also lit cigarettes for some of them because they loved to smoke when they were alive. The papers were burned to ash gradually,
and so was our love and respect paid to our ancestors. As the ash was blown away by the wind, I could feel the satisfaction form both the ancestors and their descendents.
After a long day work, my uncle told me that our ancestors first inhabited in Hsu-Chang(許昌，河南). Then they moved to An-Shi(安溪，福建).
In Chin dynasty they moved to Taiwan due to bad economic condition in Fu-Chang(福建). After moving to Taiwan, they settled down in Chang-Hwa(彰化).
Our ancestors worked very hard so that we could live in comfort now. I think tomb sweeping day is a meaningful day to show our appreciation for them,
and it tells that we should not forget what they have done.