Sometimes, good news is best delivered as a surprise, the better to turn an otherwise routine, mundane, or even lousy day around in one joyful swoop. In a recent video uploaded to YouTube by Reader’s Digest, that’s exactly what happened when one grandmother blessed her grandkids with a surprise visit, and their reaction is priceless.
Part of what enhances the joy of the occasion is the fact that it was a surprise, giving the youngsters little warning. That’s why their delight is audible in every excited shout; by just their tone alone, it’s obvious this unexpected gesture meant the world to them. Check it out below and, along the way, learn why grandmas are so special.
A grandmother brings abundant delight with a surprise visit that has her grandkids overjoyed
On April 9, Reader’s Digest shared a short video to YouTube. It’s less than half a minute long but packs an emotional, happy punch in that time. It starts with a mother asking her daughter to grab a package from the front steps. The camera follows the girl, who acquiesces but asks what the package in question is. Don’t want the porch pirates pilfering the latest prime delivery, after all, right?
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The young girl opens the main door first, peers outside, and exclaims in delight, “Grandma! Oh my god!” She throws open the clear glass door and, sure enough, their is her grandmother standing on the front porch. She is carrying some possessions but her arms aren’t nearly full enough to keep her from wrapping her granddaughter in a warm embrace.
Moments like these are especially wonderful for multiple reasons
The girl announces to the house at large, “Grandma’s here!” and there’s a lot of quieter, pleased laughter from others because of her joyful reaction. A younger boy, likely her brother, beelines to his grandmother to get a hug of his own and she happily obliges. The captions correctly state, “These are the kinda pranks I like!” and “There’s no better delivery than Grandma at your door!” But the surprise grandmother visit is actually powerful for multiple reasons.
First, there’s the fact that this was obviously a pleasantly unexpected twist to the day, starring a beloved family member. But science does also suggest there’s something about grandmothers that’s extra special. A study published to Proceedings of the Royal Society B studied the relationships between grandmothers and their grandkids. They found that when grandparents looked at pictures of their grandchildren, it activated parts of the brain associated with emotional empathy. Meanwhile, grandparents looking at pictures of their own kids triggered parts of the brain in charge of cognitive empathy. There may be something biologically at play that makes grandmother so special – but we knew that already!
To see the sweet moment when grandmother throws a surprise visit, check out the video below.