bonus

the best part of getting a bonus is not the fact that you see a delightfully fat paycheck sitting in your bank, although yes, that feels pretty damn awesome.

but really, the best part of getting a bonus is sharing it with family. to me, it is especially delightful, and you will know why i say this later on. but really, the joy of sharing and seeing the surprise and delight on the faces of your loved ones, it's a sense of happiness mixed with pride for both the giver and the receiver.

so le bf and i took his family out to dinner (at ah yat no less), stuffed our faces till we were too full to even have any chili crab when it finally came. and after the dinner, le bf's mom tried to pay us back for the dinner, even though it was already explicitly mentioned that it would be OUR treat. and it's just a nice fuzzy feeling when she said that us youngsters should save more money.

and calling the mothership early in the morning to tell her of her present sitting in her bank account... and getting the same message that we should save our money.

and attempting to give my aunt some, which she just refused to take and only allowed for a small token, just for me to express my appreciation.

really, the joy of something good is only felt truly when it is shared, and it is really just especially heartwarming when the elders all 'pretend' to accept your gift outwardly, but inwardly try to give you back some. because they know that the money is hard-earned. and because they know that real joy lies not in receiving the gift, but knowing that your child has grown up and capable and is able to provide not just for themselves, but for the family as well.

and that is why i feel extremely blessed.