Surprise Surprise

Who likes surprises? I kinda feel as if you dislike surprises, there is something strange about you. If you dislike shocks, then fair enough. I can understand that. If you are unsure whether it is a surprise or a shock, it may be like eating asparagus for the first time. The lovely taste and texture is a pleasant surprise, I like mine steamed with a little pepper on. The side effects that come with it however can be considered a shock. It took me months to work out there wasn’t something wrong with me.

Shocks are not nice. I consider these negative generally. A phone call in the night is generally a shock unless I am in North America and it is my bank's fraud team being over efficient. When I was a child, I assumed a call overnight meant bad news....for no real reason other than having old grandparents in a different country. My parents know the rule, death and illness means updating me wherever in the world I am. Anybody who lives away from their family, or perhaps even just for holidays, is likely to have a rule on this. It’s not a pleasant thought but essential to have a rule in place.

Surprises are great. I associate surprises with positivity. I love nothing more than surprising people. I enjoy coming up with great ideas for gifts, random gestures such as turning up on people's doorsteps in different countries, and generally doing things that will raise a smile on people's faces. I feel as if that has not happened as much as I would have hoped recently due to the fact that HJ and I have been so busy, but I am planning on raising my game in 2012 in this department.

Shocks are overrated, I have to say. Surprises however are underrated and I would propose that anybody who reads this blog post comes up with a pleasant surprise that is going to raise a smile for somebody else. It doesn't have to cost money, though a random bouquet of flowers never harmed anybody.....a gesture will do! Carry an old lady’s shopping bags up the street. I’ll never forget doing that once as a kid. An old lady asked me to help her and I duly carried her heavy shopping bags a mile up the road to the bus stop. I was thinking that I was in for a great little tip, until the bus came and we were still some way short of the stop. I flagged it down and the driver waited – the old lady hopped on, and as the doors were closing, she said ‘I’d love to give you a little something but my bus is here! Bye!’ I was gutted for a short period of time, but found it funny more than anything. I quickly realised that doing such gestures and providing surprises, and potentially receiving them, is a great reward for spending a bit of time, care, and effort on somebody else. I feel a new year's resolution coming on!