Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Priceless Surprises

In life, as in art, surprises break the tedious lack of variety. If it weren’t for them we’d chaff under the boredom of routine. Surprises are nice when they are pleasant, like when a tail end not-so-great batsman scores a century for your team - leaving you thrilled or when you find an old student’s comment on your post and feel a warm glow in your cardiac area. They can be overwhelming, as when your present student gifts you a Chanel perfume or when you find a 10 KD note tucked away in an old handbag.

Some surprises are so predictable. Don’t you feel distinctly unexcited on being given a cake again for your birthday just like last year……… and every other year? It’s like a poet put it, “Poor, dear, silly Spring, preparing her annual surprise!” It is strange because the absence of the cake might just leave you disappointed. The mind is a strange thing. It craves novelty – at least mine does. Which is why I feel at loss when asked what I’d like as a gift. How would I know? However I do prefer being asked rather than be given some electronic gadget over which I have to feign excitement. (I think I should correct and say that the female mind is a strange thing.)

The element of surprise and creativity are great in a marriage. It isn’t only the love notes in the lunchbox variety. As the couple settle into familiarity that borders on routine or contempt(can’t say which is worse), the ability to surprise (still) with a teasing smile or even a rare flare of temper can make some waves that offer respite from a deadly inertia. Opening the door to find your not-hirsute-anymore husband do a dance step for you might seem silly, but the shared humor and memory could be a strong building block.

Of course, there are the nasty ones too – like when a married, 26 year old girl addresses you as ‘Aunty’ and you turn around to see who the aging person is and then realize it is you yourself – that’s a nasty surprise, a terrible shock actually. The only consolation is that she calls your husband ‘Uncle’.

Now you know what trigered this post. Humph

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

loved this post :)

So should we all marry someone like the Joker from the movie - Batman? Or maybe a Tracy Jordan from 30 Rock?

And which idiot girl called you aunty, aunty?

Anush

AtomicGitten said...

Yes well there are surprises and there are surprises. Like me getting nose-ring not much of a surprise. But me getting a tattoo- awesome surprise :D

and wha-??? What dance step????

Materialmom said...

Anush

Surprises are surprises when they are surprises - you don't want perpetual shock. So get someone sane with just a few quirks :)

You Idiot Boy, you dare not >:(

Atomica

I know you won't give me nasty surprises. :)
And you always take pains to give the most thoughtful gifts and organise amazing surprises. I Trust You :D

Will demonstrate the dance story in person :)

MENON'S MUSINGS said...

Anu aunty feels nice somehow better than babu uncle! but nothing to beat 'Golden Uncle'! :))

Materialmom said...

Baata
It was bad enough when everyone thought I was your elder sister :I
You better get gray fast and then Babu Uncle will sound just fine. Poor Golden Uncle was more upset than I was :D

AtomicGitten said...

The Temptation to be unpredictable is burgeoning within me... you better be prepared :P
And I'll hold you to that :D

Ps: What 'golden uncle'??

Materialmom said...

@Atom

:)