Celia Chen

We laid my mother to rest yesterday morning, in the beautiful blown-glass urn we had ordered for her. The phoenix rising up the side is a little difficult to make out clearly in the photo, as it’s made with transparent glass, but it has lovely feather-like colored streaks in the blown-glass body, and is just gorgeous. I’m glad we were able to honor her with something so beautiful.

Celia C. H. Chen, my mother, in her cemetery niche — My mother’s urn, in the niche

And here we are, saying goodbye:

Gathered to say goodbye to Celia C.H. Chen — The family, gathered to say goodbye.

And here is the front of her niche, which she shares with her parents/my grandparents:

Cemetery niche for Celia C.H. Chen — My mother’s headstone

A solemn moment, but a greatly comforting one as well: we have laid my mother to rest, and fulfilled her last wish.

Now I’m back in Maryland, packing up her things to prepare the apartment for sale. A process full of sadness, but also of fond memories of the time we spent together, good and bad.

Goodbye, Ma. I’ll love you forever.