Sunday 1 September 2024

Glimmers

Glimmers are tiny micro-moments of joy —fleeting, everyday moments that elicit a rush of happiness, gratitude, calm, peace, safety, or goodwill. Some examples of glimmers include: Spotting a rainbow. Hearing your favorite song in the grocery store. Feeling the warmth of the sun on your skin.


I was on my way to visit Mum and Dad recently and as I stopped at the traffic lights near their place I saw a familiar figure. Dad was resting on the fence after walking to the shops. At this point in the walk he has walked a long way uphill, not terribly steep but challenging in it's length. In the part that is to come, there is a very steep uphill pinch and then more slow incline before it finally levels off.

I stopped the car and invited Dad to hop in. "I was just having a spell" he said. I reminded him that I would be happy to help out.

"It's good for keeping me fit"

And so, with his failing memory and weakening body, he trys to keep active and useful, no complaints, just a cheerful acceptance of his fate.


A photo recently arrived without explanation:


My response: "Have you taken up apple growing, Dad?"

He phoned to explain that these were the biggest apples he ever saw, at least 50% bigger than any other. Dad was excited to share this small wonder and the recipient list for the message was long.

For my whole life I can remember Dad calling to Mum "Have you got a minute?" and grumbling, mum would leave her chores to see what it was that was delighting Dad: a bird, a lizard, a flower, a sassy child, a spider web....

I never really thought much of it until now, it was just part of the family dynamic. 

"Glimmers" is a new buzz word but Dad was in on the secret decades ago and it will be one of his enduring legacies


24 comments:

  1. If I was resting on the fence after walking to the shops a long way uphill, I would be in denial as well. After living a healthy, fit, adult life, no-one wants to be caught breathing heavily, sweating and resting the legs. Inevitable? yes! Pleasant? no!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The infirmities of age come to everyone who lives long enough so we might as well come to terms with it

      Delete
  2. Handsome man! He sounds delightful. The more he can do, the better off he will be in body and mind. You are lucky to have such a great example for your life. How old is he?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Linda, this one disappeared into spam so you were right, you did comment!

      Delete
  3. My parents had a 'lookie what I've found whistle'. It is an enduring memory. Thank you for the reminder.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. And that's where you learned to find the glimmers!
      Isn't it interesting what can trigger a memory

      Delete
    2. Thank you. It is indeed where I learned to find and appreciate the glimmers.

      Delete
  4. It's such a nice photo of your father. Glimmers is a new word to me.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Andrew, when I first saw it I thought I might have misunderstood but since then it's been used a lot more. I see it on socials a lot and if you're less addicted to social media you may not come across it

      Delete
  5. Very similar situation here . All glimmers you mention also happen here.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Red, you and dad are both primary carers and both took up grocery shopping late in life.
      I also know you are interested in a large variety of things.

      Delete
  6. What a lovely word. I love the picture of your day with his oversized apple glimmers.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. When I was a teenager dad took us to the wholesale fruit market that serves greater Sydney. He was just wrapt with all the colours and shapes and it was *eye roll* sooo boring.
      Haha, the joke is on me because now the fruit markets are the most wonderful place to me

      Delete
  7. I thought I posted this.

    How old is your father. He sounds like an interesting person. You are lucky to have had such a father to show you the glimmers.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Good for your dad, working around his physical and mental limitations and not complaining. I hope I'm as philosophical at 84 (I'm currently 77).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You might as well be philosophical because you can't change it

      Delete
  9. I never heard that term before. Even if we are not feeling especially happy, "glimmers" must surely help us to get by. A life without "glimmers" would be a grey and miserable one.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's a new term as far as I know and like I said to Andrew, it's my excessive use of social media that taught me

      Delete
  10. Bless 'im. Your dad has a good outlook on life - I should take more notice of the glimmers.
    Sx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's easy to miss the glimmers but when you start noticing you get better at it. It's like driving a red car, you notice red cars

      Delete
  11. This is such a lovely post, kylie. I spend far too much time on YouTube and FB shorts, but have not come across this term yet. Thanks for the heads up. Your father's wonder over the little good things is an example well worth following.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We are not good at mushy displays in my family but it was Father's Day and I wanted to honor Dad with something so this is it!

      Delete
  12. I use "slivers" Kylie but it's the same meaning. Hats off to your dad for never losing his excitement for these glimmers. And I can see that you have inherited it. It's the small things that give us the most joy and long may he see them and share them.
    XO
    WWW

    ReplyDelete

go on, leave a comment or four.