Devoted wife, loving mother, doting aunt

I pen this appreciation in gratitude to the life and times of Aurasie Weerasinghe, an aunt who not only I but our entire family is indebted to, for her help in numerous ways we recall with gratefulness. Lord Buddha advocated that gratitude was one of the finest qualities of a human being but also a hard act to practice. 

She lived precisely one thousand and twenty six months (85 plus) and passed away last month. Aunt Aurasie (affectionately Nandi) was someone hard to forget, with her sterling kind of stature, intellectually-driven to accomplish milestones, being the solid rock for my uncle Ally Weerasinghe to succeed greatly in his business career and at the same time taking good care of her children Asanga, Avi, Amanda and Ashanee to excel in their chosen fields of specialty, like a CEO leading a household operation in flamboyance!  

I remember her impressive organisational skills so versatile and entertained a wide circle of friends, business associates plus attended to her children unfailingly, not forgetting us as the extended family at all times, caring and sharing, treating us all equally

I remember watching both my uncle and aunt in my younger days, aspiring to become who they were, living in style while we were given a glimpse of their actions periodically, emerging from our boarding schools, staying with them which to us at the time was like a few days in heaven. 

I remember her impressive organisational skills so versatile and entertained a wide circle of friends, business associates plus attended to her children unfailingly, not forgetting us as the extended family at all times, caring and sharing, treating us all equally. 

She, like most mothers, was seen as the head of facilitation, making things happen and giving direction in her inimitable fashion. She treated the domestic staff with much care and helped them rebuild their lives silently and as the saying goes: the true measure of a person is how one treats someone who cannot return the favour! 

She, like most mothers, was seen as the head of facilitation, making things happen and giving direction in her inimitable fashion

I can never forget how concerned she was when the tsunami struck our village in Seenigama, helping me get through many difficult circumstances, especially in comforting traumatised villagers through her leadership role in Sumithrayo. 

Seeing both my mother and aunt interact the way they did, being sisters-in-law was an example that was such a highlight resulting in our two families demonstrating much goodwill in our close association. In my attempt to recall memorable moments of Aunt Aurasie that are ingrained in me, I wanted to pay a tribute since gratitude is the best attitude. 

All of us will no doubt face the inevitable demise as we receive death sentence the day we are born, but never know when and how. With that being said, it is our duty to not forget those who have touched our lives, to acknowledge in grateful remembrance when their time has expired. 

May her good deeds benefit her sansaric journey of karmic life to attain greater enlightenment.