Family woes...
Humans, by nature, subconsciously and consistently compare oneself to another. Let's bring it down to something more specific - family. My friends often openly voice their envy for me because I have a good family. Well, at least, on the outward...
My financial life has been stable ever since when I was young. Probably cos' my parents are thrifty and the value of thrift has been inculcated in me. Also, I've been granted freedom when I proved my independence in NS. For those reasons, many friends envy me.
Yet, no one family is perfect. I envy KC for having such a warm and friendly mum who would try her utmost best to relate to her sons. I envy Debbie for having such a close-knitted family who would go on outings together regularly. I envy Jonathan Tan for having such supportive parents who would even go the extra mile to support his graduate studies in Japan if he were to pursue a Masters!
When I told my parents that I intend to fly and return from Tokyo, they just snapped at me (cos' I would incur transport fees to get to and fro Fukuoka). Which is about $300 but I can also finance that myself. My mum yelled "WHY MUST YOU GO TO TOKYO SO MANY TIMES? YOU WENT BEFORE SO MANY TIMES ALREADY AND THERE'S NOTHING THERE". And the occasional "SIAO AH". My father became irritatingly inquisitive. "You go there do what? Got friend ah? Go so many times already" x10 (you get the idea).
My parents have been penny pinchers all their lives. I shouldn't have been so surprised at their reactions. When I grudgingly muttered "aiya don't go, don't go la" to my dad, he just went back to his room and watched his TV. Does the man even understand his son? Not even 10%?
My family pretty much lead our own individual lives, esp. my bro and I. Alot of my church friends wonder why I didn't pick up guitar skills from my brother. It's simply cos' we don't have that close of a relationship.
My parents occasionally reminisce about the past and grumble a little about their parents. How my grandfather never gave my dad attention. How my grandmother had been ruling the house with an iron fist. Ironically, the ills in my family line have persisted another generation.
We take after our parents the most because we have their DNA. No matter how you resist, your parents' characteristics would manifest within you. Which is why I'm thankful that I have God by my side so that He might guide me in wisdom. If you're reading, keep this in mind. It might just come in useful if you plan to marry and have kids within the next few years. :)
I don't wish to go on further cos' no matter what, they will always be my parents and I should honour and respect them. So, after reading this post, do you still envy me? Wendy, you're not alone. Let's jiayou together. :)