Many of you would have visited your friends and relatives or have them visiting you these past few days. Some that you keep in touch regularly and some that you meet only once a year on this occasion.
Talking about relatives that you meet once a year. Are there those that you look forward to meeting them cos it's so rare to meet them? There's so many things to talk about that it'll probably takes you a day to catch up. Family, career, kids, house, travel, cooking tips and everything under the sun.
Almost without fail, there' be someone asking you the same question every year.
"Do you have a boyfriend/girlfriend?"
"When are you getting married?"
Perhaps they asked out of concern and they thought you wouldn't mind since they are familiar with you. However, you're more likely to be embarrassed or put off being asked the same question every year.
I've a cousin who will visit us with his family without fail on the first day of New Year every year. He belongs to the group that meet up only once a year.
I remember the very first year he got married and visited us with his wife during Chinese New Year, we asked them to stay for lunch out of courtesy as this was the first time they visited us. Many eating places were also closed. From then onwards, he will eat lunch at our house. As times go by, it seems to them that it is our duty to provide lunch for them every New Year. Imagine how many years he has been having lunch from the time he got married until now, where his only child is already 14 year old.
Well, although the New Year is a happy occasion and having people join in for feasting is part of the joy. But taking for granted that lunch will be served every year is a little too much. And as my mom is getting older, she no longer have the stamina like she used to have. And it isn't right for a senior to be cooking and serving a junior.
In fact, they have a habit of coming just before lunch or dinner. It's as if they purposely chose to come at these hours when I looked back at the past years.
Another cousin of mine also visit us with his wife on the first day of New Year without fail. The New Year he visited us after he got married, he bought New Year goodies for my parents as a form of respect. We invited them to join us for lunch but he declined.
Needless to say, none of us welcome the first cousin, except my dad (as this cousin is my dad's elder brother's son). To me, he is an irritating pest.
So are you a welcomed guest or irritating pest to your customers?