In the hustle and bustle of daily life, it’s easy to overlook the small moments that bring us joy. Yet, these fleeting instances of happiness can have a profound impact on our Recently, I’ve become more aware of these glimmers of positivity that unexpectedly brighten my day.
These moments are not the grand milestones we often associate with happiness. Instead, they are the ordinary, unexpected victories that catch us off guard. They make us smile before we even realize we’re doing it. They are the moments that would make even the grumpiest among us beam.
The dentist’s good news
One of my favorite glimmers is the dentist’s clean bill of health. There’s something uniquely satisfying about hearing, “No cavities, no crowns needed, no weird receding gums.” It’s a brief moment where I feel like I’ve mastered adulthood, even if it’s just for a second. Present Sue is always making promises that Future Sue has no intention of keeping, but that’s a story for another time.
Restaurant bliss
Dining out is another opportunity for these small joys. I don’t eat out very often, so when I do, it’s a special treat. One of my favorite spots is a Mexican restaurant that serves amazing fajitas. The anticipation builds as I listen for that distinctive sizzling sound coming from the kitchen. Every time a server emerges carrying a cast-iron platter, heads turn. Mine included.
Is that my order? Nope. Is that my order? Still no. Then it happens. The server stops at my table. The sizzling platter is placed in front of me. Suddenly my blood pressure drops ten points. Smiles all around. Restaurant bliss isn’t limited to the food itself. There’s also the unexpected joy of being told the wait will be 45 minutes and hearing my name called after only 10. That little beeper suddenly starts flashing and vibrating in your pocket, and you feel as though you’ve won a prize.
And let’s not forget takeout bliss. Just when I think all the fries are gone, I discover a few stragglers hiding at the bottom of the bag. Unexpected bonus fries may not change your life, but they can certainly improve your afternoon.
Unexpected treasures
The weather has turned colder, and I reluctantly head to the basement closet to retrieve my winter coat. Summer Sue is always optimistic. Winter Sue is always cold. As I slide my hands into the pockets, I feel something. Wait. Is that money? The amount doesn’t matter. Five dollars feels like a gift from Past Sue. Twenty dollars feels like Past Sue was in a hurry and uncharacteristically without her huge “Mom purse.” Anything over twenty, and I’m suddenly wondering if my retirement strategy has been hiding money from myself.
Thank you, Past Sue. You were more thoughtful (and forgetful) than I remember.
A musical interlude
My husband and I are making our way up and down the aisles of our ginormous grocery store when the first few notes of Cyndi Lauper’s Girls Just Want to Have Fun come over the speakers. I freeze. I know that song. Within seconds, I’m pushing a shopping cart down Aisle 10 while mentally singing into my hairbrush in my dorm room in 1983. Everyone else is buying cereal. I’m starring in a music video. That’s when I realize “cart dancing” is a real thing.
When a favorite song from our youth comes on in the grocery store, people over 60 generally do one of three things: smile, sing along, or embarrass their spouses. I prefer to think of my performance as a public service. As the song fades and I make my way toward the checkouts, warily eyeing the obnoxious self-checkout lanes, a cashier spots me and waves me over.
The cashier’s wave
“Ma’am, I can take you over here.” Those seven words have the power to transform an ordinary shopper into someone who feels uniquely qualified for greatness. I don’t casually move to the new lane. I practically strut. For one glorious moment, I’ve been selected. Chosen. Recognized. Never mind that the cashier is simply trying to reduce the line. In my mind, she has reviewed all the shoppers in the store and determined that I am the most deserving candidate.
The person behind me? Disappointed. The people farther back? Devastated. Meanwhile, I’m rolling (dancing) my cart forward with all the confidence of someone accepting a lifetime achievement award. It isn’t rational. It isn’t important. But it absolutely makes me smile.
Freshly washed sheets
Before leaving on a trip, I always wash the sheets. It’s one of the nicest things Past Sue does for Present Sue. Hotels spend millions trying to create a luxury experience. Meanwhile, nothing beats crawling into your own bed after a long trip and realizing the sheets are freshly washed. Home sweet bed. Past Sue really is a thoughtful woman. Present Sue would like to thank her. She deserves every bit of this grin.
Snow day joy
When I was teaching and my boys were young, we’d do the “Snow Dance” the night before a winter storm was predicted here in Wisconsin. Did it work? Of course it did. At least that’s how we remember it. There was nothing quite like waking up to hear that school had been canceled. Suddenly the day belonged to us. Hot cocoa. Puzzles. Pajamas until noon…or all day if no one was judging.
Today, those little boys are both teachers, and every time a big snowstorm is in the forecast, they still call or text me so we can perform the “Snow Dance” together. It doesn’t work quite as often anymore. Virtual learning has taken some of the magic away. But Teacher Sue still starts hoping when snow is in the forecast.
Maybe that’s what glimmers really are. Little reminders that happiness rarely arrives with fireworks. More often it comes carrying fajitas, clean sheets, or a surprise twenty-dollar bill from Past Sue.
