Thought for the Day (Nov 1)

Subject: Thought for the Day (Nov 1)
From: Peter T.
Date: 01 Nov 99 - 12:39 PM

One last ghost story, but one that is sad and unfortunately true, though it ends more or less happily.

The city in Canadan in which I live many years ago accepted a number of Cambodian refugees, and I heard recently that there was an odd trouble among them. The community has been very poor and has until recently been unable to bring a Cambodian Buddhist monk to Canada, partly because there were so few of them (the hKmer Rouge butchered virtually all the Cambodian Buddhist monks) left. When I asked why this was so important, apart from normal desire for a priest of one's own, I discovered that there were about 10 very elderly Cambodians who had locked themselves away in their rooms for 15 years or more, because they were haunted by the ghosts of their dead husbands and children and other close relations. In Cambodian belief, if your burial place is unknown, you come back from the dead and haunt your families until they find the place, or perform a ritual exorcism. Since there were two or three million dead from the war in the 1970's, haunting is widespread, and has reached all the way to Toronto. Finally, this weekend, the community was able to bring a priest to town, and he exorcised the family ghosts. A friend phoned me yesterday morning in tears, and told me that, at long last, the elderly women had come out into the light of day, having been fed and helped by the community for so many years. I was not there: but I could imagine these tiny wraith like figures, coming out from behind their doors, finally free. I spent last night, watching the ghosts and goblins parading up and down our street, and thinking about a small handful of the real thing, the dead ghosts and their living partners, both free at last. (p.t.)

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day (Nov 1)
From: katlaughing
Date: 01 Nov 99 - 04:01 PM

Oh, Peter, that is so sad. How appropriate, though, to have that happen near or on All Hallow's Eve day and how appropriate for you to post it on All Soul's Day. I am happy for the women, esp., that they have, hopefully, found release from the distress of their loved ones. They must seem very ghost-like themselves after being tormented and grieving for so long.

kat

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day (Nov 1)
From: thosp
Date: 01 Nov 99 - 11:24 PM

i second that emotion !