Sunday, January 28, 2024

Surprise


Around 8 pm, the doorbell rang. My wife was wondering who might have come at that hour. 

Upon opening the door, there was my son's friend VB at the door. (My son works in Sydney, Australia.)

My wife was pleasantly surprised to see VB and told him, "Come on in!"

But VB sort of hesitated and told my wife, "There is someone who has come with me to meet you."

For a moment, she thought, who could it be.

There is a common friend of my son and VB who we knew was in the city. So, my wife's first thought was it must be him. 

And then, from behind, emerged our son, with his baggage and all.

It was supposed to be a big surprise, and it very much was!

Only a few days ago, he was on one of the regular video calls with us! And here he is!

It was so surreal; my wife couldn't believe what was happening.

I was in my office, and I wasn't told about our son's arrival. 

When I returned home from work at 2 am, as I always do, I couldn't believe it when I saw my son!

He had booked the flight tickets as early as October, and he didn't give us even the slightest hint all these months. 

Only two of his friends knew, and they all kept it a well-guarded secret.

Have you been surprised like this? Or, have you surprised someone?

(Illustration from Freepik)



28 comments:

  1. What a fantastic surprise! I did enjoy such a moment. My brother was putting on a show with the chorus group he directs when his son flew in from overseas military service. Everyone knew this secret except my brother. And one of their musical numbers paid tribute to our service men and women, so it was perfect when my nephew entered the stage. The memory still gives me chills. :D Blessings to you and yours!

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    1. Hi Darla - Thank you, so much. That was an amazing idea to surprise your nephew.

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  2. Hari Om
    I am delighted for you... I have never experienced this sort of surprise, but can appreciate the joy it brought you. YAM xx

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  3. Oh Pradeep how exciting. Nothing beats having our children visit - and when it's from such a huge distance away it's even more special. I hope you enjoy every moment of his time home with you and that you get to give him the same sort of surprise one day by visiting him here in Australia again. Enjoy every hug and conversation while you have him close by. :)

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    1. Hi Leanne - Thank you so much. Yes, we have thought of surprising him in Australia. May be one day. Separation from children is something we have to take in our stride, how much ever we miss them. After all, they have their own lives. So the moments like these are indeed precious.

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  4. What a lovely surprise for you and your wife. I've not had such surprises in my life and I don't really like the thought of surprise visitors but if it is one of your own children, that is different. Enjoy your time with him and no stern father lectures, haha.

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    1. Hi Andrew - Thank you so much. O, yes! As a parent, there is always the temptation to give children advices and lectures, all unsolicited. But it is better to restrain oneself!

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  5. What a pleasant surprise!

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  6. Wow. He must have really wanted it to be a surprise if he kept the secret that long. How long is he staying for?

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  7. Hi Pradeep - that's just brilliant - it must have brought so much joy to you all ... what fun - wonderful to hear about it. So pleased for you all. The worst I had was when I left South Africa and the squash club gave me the most embarrassing send off I could think of - I had to knuckle my brain down to co-operate - nightmare!! Cheers - yours was just superb ... clever son - happy memories for a long time to come ... HIlary

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    1. Hi Hilary - Thank you so much. He loves \to surprise us!

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  8. Ha, he really wanted to surprise you! That must have been so much fun. I can't believe he kept it secret for so long.

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    1. Yes, not all keep it under wraps for so long!

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  9. Oh Pradeep, that is just lovely! I'm so pleased for you. What a truly wonderful surprise. Now we're waiting to find out what you've done during his visit. I've never had a surprise quite like yours, but for one of my birthdays, my daughter painted the most beautiful portrait of my beloved dog who'd recently died. I wasn't expecting it and was deeply moved.

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    1. Hi Vallypee, Thank you so much. That was a really thoughtful surprise by your daughter. You are all the more moved when you least expect it. My son has been catching up with his friends. We had a small get-together at home. He has been otherwise relaxing and spending time with us. Yesterday we had been to my brother-in-law's house and spent the whole day there. He has signed up for the Sydney Half Marathon. So he has begun practising with that in mind so that he gets into proper shape by May when the event takes place.

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  10. Some surprises are welcome, like this one.

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  11. Surprises like these create unforgettable moments filled with joy and love. The effort and thoughtfulness put into orchestrating such a surprise speak volumes about the bond and affection shared within your family.

    I am inviting you to read my new blog post.

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  12. What a wonderful surprise and how kind of your son's friends to keep his secret. This will never be forgotten.

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    1. O, yes, it was indeed an unforgettable experience.

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  13. That is a class surprise - we could all do with more like that Pradeep...
    https://how-would-you-know.com/2024/04/soybeans-and-a-solage.html

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