behind the surprise.
32. romance never died.
The days pass, but I don’t seem to notice.
My heart, so full, doesn’t feel the stress the world around me feels.
I’m not one for 3pm coffee, but dinner isn’t until 8.
Tears as I smile with joy, a glass of red by our sides.
The surprise worked, I hope the white lie was worth it.
We find our moments of silence amidst the city that never stops.
I made it to New York City!
For the last two months, I knew I was coming here, and so did a lot of people — pretty much everyone I spoke to during that time knew, except for one person: my partner, Georgia. It was tough to keep something like this a secret from someone who's not only my best friend but also the person I share every detail of my life with. In long-distance relationships, in my opinion, communication is key to surviving, so I share everything — I’ll even ask G what she’s having for lunch. Little details like that might seem unimportant when you're living with someone, but when you're apart, they become incredibly meaningful. Anything to make the 14-hour time difference easier on the heart.
I’m so lucky to be surrounded by amazing friends in my life, and sometimes I forget to appreciate that because it’s just become part of my daily routine. But the events leading up to the day I decided to go reminded me of how lucky I am. The day I decided to surprise G, I remember getting a link from a friend of mine, Ollie — I call him "Life Hack Ollie" because he’s always got some genius tips, like how to earn extra Qantas points or order Uber Eats to the nearest house when you're on a date at the beach and don't want to miss the sunset. The link was for a website, something like OzBargain, with the title "CHEAP NEW YORK FLIGHTS." I’ve booked flights from sketchy websites before, but this one seemed legit.
I didn’t need much convincing, but I always check in with my friends to make sure I’m making the right call. I called my trusted girl gang, Nic and Greta, who both said, “Absolutely!” and “Yes, yes, yes!” With one final confirmation from G’s housemate and best friend Bella, who was just as enthusiastic — “Omg, yes dude!!” — I was already at the checkout and just needed to press pay.
To my surprise, I managed to keep it a secret the entire time. I had a few close calls, but nothing major. G and I had many conversations about how I couldn’t afford it right now, and I’d always say I was saving and growing my business so I could come over for Christmas. I’m all for being financially smart blah blah blah, but at 26 years young, the stories I’ll have from this surprise trip will be priceless for G and me — worth more in memories dividend’s than any two weeks spent at home.
Go on that trip.
Love wins, it always has.
It’s been one week since I arrived, and I’ve got another week ahead of me. Two weeks might not seem like a long time in the everyday life of most people — maybe it’s their payday cycle or just another routine block. But when you’re in a long-distance relationship, getting two full weekends together in New York City is everything, especially after three months of no weekends. It’s all about how you look at life. I was walking around the markets here on Sunday and seen a quote that seemed fitting, “It’s not about counting the days, it’s about making the days count” — and this trip has reminded me of that.
Here’s to the ups and downs of dating such an inspiring soul, someone who couldn’t sleep at night unless she was chasing her dream of moving to the other side of the world. It’s my daily reminder to keep pushing towards my own personal goals and growing my business.
Heres some film photos I recently got developed;
this 💛🫶🏽