Keeping A Secret

It is not easy keeping a secret. Especially when it involves 70 persons. My cousin Lynette was planning on surprising her mum, my Auntie Mary, with a birthday celebration, and boy did she succeed. Months of hushed discussions and imaginative strategies worked to perfection as the extended family and friends gathered at Passion Road yesterday afternoon for the tea party.

To say my aunt was surprised is an understatement. And that's when the organisers and cohorts get the biggest thrill. The icing on the cake? Great company, good food and a beautiful setting.

Being caught unawares aside, it is the thoughtfulness of family and friends that make such a celebration a memorable one. The care taken to plot, the cooperation extended by all the guests, the effort of having to take charge of the event as a whole, all these make the occasion meaningful.

Photo of Auntie Mary and family at Passion Road in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.