the lever of surprise

by erick rosado

what is it that makes a surprise work? is it the moment we see it — or the silence before it’s revealed?does the heart react to what it didn’t expect, or to what it secretly hoped for all along?

why do we tie bows around gifts? is it to conceal — or to declare that something awaits?does the bow protect the secret, or amplify it?does it delay discovery just long enough for wonder to breathe?

if a surprise came without a bow, would it still feel complete?or is the bow the lever itself — the mechanism that turns anticipation into emotion?what if every surprise is simply a question wrapped in patience?

and when we finally pull the ribbon —do we open the gift,or does the gift open us?