Monday, January 24, 2011

25-ish

In our office, we have a staff, he is 25 years old.

He is very good at talking, very socialable, in almost every restaurant he stepped into, he will sure know a person or two there. This I salute to him very much. In some sense, he is amiable. 人见人爱.

However, he do things, can make you puke blood. It is like, he do things is very chin chai, and don't care whether it gets done or not. And as a result, he either does things either too slowly and delay the schedule, or he does things incorrectly and at the end, we spent more time undo the wrong. Hmm....

What to do leh? He is one of the boss's son. So you know lah... sometimes even though I know the mistake was done by him, I have to hide my own heart and tell the boss, it was  the vendor's mistake, they didn't follow instruction that's why is wrong. bla bla bla.. sometimes I also feel I am good damn big liar, because of him!

So, it made me think, what was I when I was 25 years old??

When I was 25 years old, according to my resume, (haha), I was at my 3rd job already. It was a research analyst job. I think I am the type of responsible person from day 1, regardless whether I am 20 or 30 or later on 50. I don't simply do work... I don't delay the schedule... I do follow up so the project won't get delayed... everything I do, I do whole heartedly. I think I didn't give anybody shit at that time... I hoped so.. haha...

Then I have another 25-ish year old person, who thinks that it is 肤浅 for parents to ask for pocket money from their children. I was shocked. Too shocked to comment for few days. And this word  肤浅, is actually from his gf's mouth. Meaning, they both agree it is 肤浅 to give pocket money to their parents. Sigh... I cannot understand the logic. As I understood, most parents don't even 稀罕 the children's pocket month, they accept it because it is a token of appreciation from their children, for all the hard work the parents put in to the shape the children of where they are today. And the pocket money don't even need to be huge. Just give whatever you can. The figure $$ means nothing, it is the action that shows your appreciation. So how can it be 肤浅?? I really cannot comprehend. And I nearly choked when I saw this comment. Seriosuly, nearly choked. I guess I am a very traditional person, I beleive in respecting elderly people, especially our own parents. They most probably do not even need our pocket money, but to let them hear we think they are 肤浅 to accept pocket money from their children, I think will seriously hurt their fragile heart. These 25-ish people should understand that as parents grow old, their heart grows fragile too. Any mean word will paralized them for sometime, and whatever is done, is difficult to undo. Anyway, I think back to when I was 25-ish, I feel so proud to give pocket money to my parents every month. I never missed. And to see their contented look on the face, makes me proud too. So again, why is my 25-ish so different from the 25-ish people nowadays?? I really do not understand. Some more, the particular 25-ish person, when he was completing his phD (it takes 10 years to complete the whole process instead of just do a Bachelor degree), his dad, frequently send him money in USD. His dad sent so much until this 25-ish person has a $40K surplus at his bank account before he graduate. This kind of unconditional love, why can't he remember when he blurted out the word 肤浅??

I hope my readers are with me. It is nothing to feel shallow to give your parents pocket money, or to receive pocket money from your children. There, I said it! :)

p/s: after posted this post, only realized i made a mistake. The person I think he was 25-ish, is actually 30 years old this year. Wholly... 30 years old already still so childish in thinking???!!! lagi puke blood!

6 comments:

Jennifer said...

I'm definitely with u. I gave money to my parents since I started working...that's when I was 22 years old...never failed until today even after married...I really don't have respect to people who don't treat their parents well...I always believe in karma...they will get what they give...

Jennifer said...

Oh...I forgot to mention...I also gave money on monthly basis to my grandmothers...2 grandmothers to be exact...haha...and I'm proud of myself... :)

Elizebeth D.L. said...

Jennifer, me too. I am proud of myself and I look down on that "30" thingy person. I hope when he gets old next time, and if he has children, his heart can tahan the chi gek when his children tells him it is damn shallow to expect pocket money from your children. Bleah!

And I am so proud of you, give pocket money to your grandmas! wow!!! proud of u!!

mun said...

Yes, I agree that both of you should be proud of yourself for giving pocket money to your elders. I do too but it is a norm in my family to do so. That's why I don't think much of it. On the other hand, I know of parents who refuse to accept pocket money from their children because they know that their children work hard for the money. Then again there are some parents who accept pocket money from their children but tell their peers that they are not doing so because they feel useless taking money from their children when their friends are not doing so.

Elizebeth D.L. said...

I guess different people really have different thinking... hmmmm

Anonymous said...

yes, agree with you. gave $$ to my mum since my 1st job after uni, and also grandmother whenever I visit them.. =) it's not how much the $$ is, but rather a token of appreciation and make it a 'habits'.. cheers and happy cny!!

christine low