I wasn’t really expecting anything 44 days before my birthday.
As my husband and I were driving the streets of Downtown Dallas, I focused on familiar buildings and in a tourist voice, I said, “Look there is the Federal Courthouse.” I’ve been in the building hundreds of time and at one point knew the security guards and the correct way to pass through the metal detectors. But for some reason, it seem so new to me, the white and black evoking feelings of nostalgia. I was really conversing with myself, the experiences of my law days racing as a flashback in my mind. Our car passed my former law office buildings, local restaurants where I had lunched, and sidewalk benches where I reshuffled papers in my briefcase in preparation for court.
My eyes were still gazing at the streets my husband maneuvered the car into a figure eight around the streets in an attempt to find parking. After a few circles, my husband parked the car and we stood at a restaurant named Iron Cactus. In my years in downtown Dallas, I’ve never dined here before, and am a little curious as to why he picked this particular restaurant.
As I walk up the staircase in the restaurant, I am admiring the ambiance of what is around me, while my husband is almost four steps ahead me. I cross the last step and I hear in unison, “Surprise!” followed by “Happy Birthday Rudri!”
There are at least twenty people there, some of who have known me for over twenty years. I am overwhelmed. I start hugging everyone, one by one, feeling giddy. I hug my husband and my sister especially tight, the masterminds behind this surprise.
I couldn’t help but reflect on my surprise party. At one end of the table were my high school buddies at the other end were friends I’ve known since my childhood. In the middle, seats were occupied by family. I couldn’t help but think, the kaleidoscope of my own life were intersecting. It was blending of the past and my present, the different phases of my life – My childhood, my high school years, my life spent as a lawyer, and the irony of the name, the Iron Cactus, representing my new life in Arizona.
As I looked at my family and friends, I kept smiling all night long, like an overgrown kid, relishing in my carefree mood. It was a nice surprise to experience the freedom of being young again and being old enough to understand the gravity of this emotion.
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How do you react to surprises? What are you best memories of a surprise? Did it overwhelm you? Were you surprised by your reaction?
Welcome! I am a lawyer turned freelance writer, essayist, and editor. On staff at Literary Mama and the co-founder and co-editor of the literary journal, The Sunlight Press, my essays and reported work have appeared in The Washington Post, The Lily, Saveur, Civil Eats, Brain, Child, ESPN and elsewhere. I am currently at work on a memoir on grief and culture and how it provides perspective on life’s ordinary graces. I invite you to appreciate the ordinary with me. I hope my daily practice of seeing the magic in the mundane helps you celebrate and find more of these moments in your life too.
Oh how lovely – what a wonderful surprise birthday party. Glad you had such a nice evening with your friends and family.
What an awesome guy (and sister) you have to plan such a party for you! I can imagine your face hurt from smiling. Happy very early birthday!
Happy birthday 44 days early!!! That’s awesome that they surprised you like that; taking advantage of your trip home was a smart thing! Kudos to your husband and sister for pulling it off.
As you may already know, I love surprises, but I also love surprising others as there’s a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction that comes from seeing the face of the surprised. It’s fun work that involves sleuthing and being sneaky. What’s not to love? 🙂
Hope you continue to have a fabulous time with your friends and family.
Okay, I’ve got a surprise to share … When I was pregnant with my second child, a friend offered to throw me a shower. But it must have been a terrible weekend for people because there were, maybe, five people there. Including me. I was hormonal and disappointed and feeling friendless. The following week, some new, new friends (people I hadn’t invited to the Disaster Shower because I hadn’t known them that long) threw me a surprise shower. I was overwhelmed by their kindness and completely and utterly stunned. I cried like a baby (or a hormonally challenged pregnant woman). =>
Happy early Birthday, and Happy Iron Cactusing, friend! So glad you had a wonderful evening. =>
What a terrific surprise! I bet that took some careful planning and the hardest part is you were surprised.
What a wonderful gift! Surprise parties have always fascinated me, but I have yet to have one. I would plan my own, but that doesn’t work, does it.
Seriously, getting your worlds together, mixing the best people from different parts of your life, it sounds amazing,
Happy Birthday! What a wonderful surprise. I agree with Kate, above. Getting the best out of all those different parts of your life is really special.
What a great idea to surprise you while still in Dallas, and early! (Smart man.) What wonderful memories you’ll have.
What a wonderful surprise…well-deserved for sure!
That last part, about feeling young and yet appreciating, how amazing! Those moments make life wonderful. I’m so glad you had it. Happy early birthday to you. Sounds like you had a tremendous evening.
xo
Fabulous! Happy early birthday! A wonderful gift!
Happy birthday, Rudri! What a warm, wonderful surprise. I love a good, happy surprise – but I rarely get them. With gifts, my husband gets too excited and gives too many hints. And I don’t know that he’s enough of an organizer to plan a party without my knowing! But he’s gotten great at surprise steals at home improvement stores and simple splurges from the grocery. And my son has caught on that I like it, and loves to come to me and say, “Mommy, I have surprise for you!” Small and sweet – it’s lovely.
Inside I am usually jumping up and down and doing sommer-saults, but all people see on the outside is my perpetual calm and a big smile.
Happy Birthday, Rudri! And many more!
I have read this at least three times and am finally settling in to give you a well thought out response. Er, scratch that “well thought out” and read only the “response” bit, that was more a fantasy than reality.
Anyway.
What an awesome birthday surprise! Your husband managed to combine together different pieces of your past and present and bring them together for a night of celebration. A joyous occasion that you will remember for years to come.
You have an awesome husband.