The Spring Festival is a time for Chinese families to reunite, and it is also a time of great joy. Yesterday, the third day of the Lunar New Year, four relatives came to the house and gave my mother a special surprise, but the behavior of one of the relatives made me a little uneasy.
As early as a few years ago, these relatives informed my two elder brothers through messages that they were going to come to my house to visit my mother in the third year of junior high school. I rushed home the next day, and my eldest brother and second brother told me the good news. I think since I'm here to visit my mother, I should be prepared to welcome them, after all, they have come from afar, and it's not okay to be rude.
These four relatives are the three brothers of my aunt's family, my father's nephews, and my father is their maternal uncle. It's been more than 20 years since my aunt passed away, and it's been 14 years since my dad left us. When my dad was alive, they often visited him, but we rarely crossed paths. In fact, it has been more than twenty years since I last saw these cousins. With the death of my aunt and father, our connection seems to be drifting apart.
Although my mom is still alive, as the saying goes, "The eyeballs are gone, only the sockets are left", and the movement between relatives seems to have lost its original meaning. After my dad died, the three brothers had less and less contact with us. My mom used to take turns taking care of my siblings, but in the years since she got sick and returned to her hometown to recuperate, these three cousins from my aunt's family have come to visit my mom twice.
When my husband heard that they came to see my mom every year, he thought it was a little strange that they might be hypocritical. But I don't think so, I think these three cousins still have nostalgia for the past. Although they are over the age of sixteen and their eldest cousin is seventy-four years old, they will not forget the days when they used to live at their grandmother's house when they were children. Every time they came to my grandmother's house, my mother took care of them because she was too old and infirm to work. They even preferred to eat and live in our house, showing a deep affection for my mother.
In contrast, I also have two uncles whose mothers never care about their nephews' food and lodging. Although this aunt is not a relative of our family, but a common relative of my father and two uncles, eating and drinking Lazar has become a matter for our family. Even though they should have grown up to understand my mother's kindness, they don't seem to have such emotions.
This time they came again, and I got up at six in the morning to take care of my mom and wash up and then prepare breakfast. Since the nanny was on vacation, my second brother accompanied my mother for the New Year, so I took care of my mother with my second brother. After the meal, the eldest brother and sister-in-law also came, and due to the large number of people, we could only bring enough utensils from their house.
Later, other relatives also arrived, and the eldest brother and second brother chatted with them, while my eldest sister and sister-in-law and I were busy in the kitchen. I haven't seen each other for more than 20 years, and everyone has gray hair, and if we meet them on the street, I'm afraid no one will recognize whom.
Although I was reluctant, out of politeness, I agreed to the relative's request to add me on WeChat. However, I didn't expect him to send messages so frequently, sending good morning and New Year's wishes every morning. I find this kind of behavior a little unacceptable.
After they left, I brought it up to my family. The second brother said that his behavior was indeed inappropriate, especially since he often sent all kinds of messages, even when it was unnecessary. The eldest brother-in-law suggested blocking him, while the eldest sister advocated setting him to not look at his circle of friends. In the face of such troubles, I also felt helpless.
Perhaps, in a few days, I will choose to block him. After all, such frequent contact is irritating. But for such a person, how should I deal with it, I have never been sure in my heart.