On Valentine’s Day 2020, I said goodbye to my maternal grandfather (waigong) as he peacefully left us at age 96. Those final fifteen minutes in our home were surprisingly gentle – even his shortness of breath seemed less painful than we’d feared. Our whole family gathered around his bed, our voices joining together in “Namo Amituofo,” a simple Buddhist prayer that many believe helps ease the passage from this life.

But now I think this chanting was just as much for us as it was for him – helping us find peace as we let him go. As I put together this photo album on Qingming Festival (our traditional day for remembering those we’ve lost), I keep thinking about how waigong always managed to smile, even during the hardest times. It’s teaching me to do the same when I think of him.

The background music, “What Death Will Be Like” by Momus (suggested by my friend Y 小宅), feels just right for these memories. Rest peacefully, waigong, and rest in peace to all those we miss.

What Will Death Be Like