It all started with that phone call at 11.30pm last Friday.

I hate phone calls that come at night, as it's never good news. Sure enough, I was right. My grandmother had passed away suddenly at the home. The nurse discovered that she had already stopped breathing at 11.10pm. She was 85.

There was the hectic rush to the home, a word with the doctor, and then a trip to the police station to get her death certificate. The officer punched a hole into her IC, an indication that she was no more.

By the time our family trudged wearily home to bed, it was already 4am in the morning.

The next day, a Saturday, we went to make her funeral arrangements. By evening time, we were all wearing mourning clothes. The relatives came that night. Many were shocked and sad. She had seemed so healthy and alert before she died. Sometimes, I think funerals serve to comfort the living more than to pay respects to a deceased loved one.

On Sunday, it was another full day at the parlour. That evening, we held a 2 hour prayer session and invited some Buddhist monks to chant for her journey into the afterlife. Me and my mum were Christian, but my grandmother was still Buddhist. We didn't believe that going through rituals was something to be avoided. After all, it was all part of honouring her for the last time.

You'd be surprised. The funeral consultant said that it was common for siblings within a family to come to blows over whether joss sticks should be used or if they should go through the rituals. Most of the time, the Christian in the family would be the one to insist that he was to not participate, because of his religion. Personally, I find that silly. It's not as if you're betraying your faith by honouring your grandparents or parents.

Early on Monday morning, my family and a few relatives who could make it came down to send her off. She was cremated at Mandai.

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Fast forward to today. My morning was spent putting my grandmother's ashes in an urn. She was laid to rest in a niche at Brighthill temple. This Friday, coincidentally Vesak Day, we will be returning for another round of prayers.

Rest in peace grandma. Wherever you are out there.