Springing Surprise On Unsuspecting People - What It Means?

So, in a long time, I do not have a topic as I write the blog. You and I will discover what wants to flow through me as I continue typing - Surprise! I will start with a surprise. A few years ago, I decided to surprise my parents by visiting them in Sydney while they were visiting my brother. It was a rather spur-of-moment decision - I was Whatsapping with my brother, and I suggested that I come and see them. My niece had also just been born, so it was perfect. And then I said, ‘Let’s keep it a secret from our parents and surprise them.’ Just like that, we had a plan - my brother and I planned to the nth details. Should we turn off our Google location sharing? What will he tell my parents when he comes to pick me up from the airport? What will I say to my parents, as I won’t be able to talk to them on our regular weekly slot? Our spouses were obviously in on the secret.

And I made my way - the flight was smooth. My little brother, who is now all grown up (which I still find hard to believe, even as I write this), came to pick me up. His apartment was on the first floor then - and we kept yapping until we reached the door, which was open. When I walked in, my mom was standing with my niece in her arms, and my dad was sitting on the couch. The look on their face was precious - my mom said, ‘Anu’ as she saw me. I went and swooped in on my niece while my parents recovered. Then my dad said, ‘He was wondering how he could hear my noise (as he heard us coming up from the stairs.’ Throughout the day, my parents kept saying how they couldn’t believe I was there in person.

I overhear my mom talking to my aunt.
My mom: Anu is here.
Aunt: You never told me she was coming.
Mom: Even we did not know.
Aunt: Why did she not tell you?
Mom: Apparently, this was a surprise
Aunt: Oh, surprise…
And they continued their usual conversation.

The concept of surprise was a little baffling to them. My family is all about practical ‘must-do’ things, and things like surprise/on-the-spot trips are considered a ‘nice-to’ or things that other folks do. But it was nice to do one such trip in my lifetime. My sister-in-law even kept it a secret from her parents in case they said something to my parents. And I had the nicest week with my family and niece. I spent one whole day roaming Sydney with my parents - taking them out for a nice lunch, having tea with my family, and carrying my niece around whenever she let me. She was a baby at that time, so very cute - and that meant I kept threatening to eat her :).

Even now, when I think of the trip - I have such pleasant sensations. The trip, even if I have forgotten the details, my mind, body, and soul remember them fondly. Now, I also have memories that are not so pleasant - but you know how I would differentiate between pleasant and unpleasant if I hadn’t experienced them both. Neither is good or bad except for the story we are telling ourselves. And we chose the story consciously or unconsciously. Sometimes, what seems too bad turns out to be pretty good later in life, and vice versa. One thing is certain: the universe wants us to succeed and is benevolent - it is a friendly universe. Even at times, what we are experiencing does not feel like what a friendly universe would want for us - but it cares about what we need, not what we want.

This blog is dedicated to living life fully - both the good and the bad. Did reading this bring up any memories for you?