Hug’s the real deal

As I left for work that morning, my husband reminded me, “Don’t forget to act surprised!” He was referring to our son’s ‘surprise’ visit that evening. As I am not a fan of surprises, he had considerately informed me about our son’s arrival, knowing I’d appreciate the heads-up. While I adore surprise gifts and cakes, a surprise visit is different. It may bring instant joy, but it can also catch you off guard. The anticipation of a planned visit allows you to savour the excitement over time, which a surprise visit cannot offer. It also gives you the motivation to prepare homemade goodies and tidy up the house. 

I had been eagerly waiting for this day to start, picturing the moment of reunion when I could pull my son into a long, tight hug. It had been a while since we had seen him, and coincidentally, it was also my birthday.

However, the day did not start off well at school where I work. We received news that a preschool student and her family had been in a car accident the previous evening and were in critical condition. The school had no updates by closing time, leaving us anxious about their progress.

To make matters worse, the school bus broke down on the way home. After a half-hour wait, we were assigned a different bus. All children except one were dropped off. The student’s mother was held up in traffic and could not reach home in time to pick up her child. Another twenty minutes gone! But just as we were about to reach my stop, the driver stopped the bus, and the female helper got off, saying, “One minute, Ma’am.”

I was getting restless, having received a message that my son had arrived home. The driver had the habit of stopping at ATMs and asking the helper to withdraw money en route home. When she came back, I was about to say something rude, but then, noticed a Five Star chocolate bar in
her hand. She wished me a happy birthday with a warm hug. This unexpected gesture brought tears to my eyes. Overwhelmed with emotions, I thanked her profusely.

As I walked home, I received a message from a colleague that the preschooler and her family were finally out of danger. I quickened my steps, feeling relieved and happy.

I quickened my steps. My first born greeted me with a bear hug at the door. In a soft voice, he said “Happy Birthday, Amma ! Are you surprised?” 

I said, “More than you can imagine!” A white lie is allowed on birthdays, isn’t it? “You knew, didn’t you?” He looked accusingly at his father. That’s when a second pair of arms enveloped me from behind. It was my younger son. Now, that was a surprise!  In that moment, I realised that video calls are no substitute for the real thing.

A hug is a moment of pure connection, and this was the best birthday ever!