The most beautiful moments that readers share with me: Fran Whiting

From all over Australia, you wrote to tell me of your own, fleeting moments of wonder, Frances Whiting writes, sharing the beautiful and heartwarming moments stories of readers.

It wasn’t just a “shimmer of glimmers’’ that arrived after my last column, it was more like a waterfall. From all over Australia, you wrote to tell me of your own, fleeting moments of wonder, including a reader from South Australia who said his family (scattered from one end of this country to the other) have now started a WhatsApp group dedicated to sharing their weekly glimmers with each other.

One grandmother, Margaret, from Sydney, said she already enjoyed a Gratitude WhatsApp group with her grandkids, but now they are going to start a new one, devoted to glimmers.

Anyway, the glimmers you shared made me smile, laugh out loud, and one made me cry, so thank you very much for writing, and here’s a small selection of your small, but mighty, wonders:

● I was on a train to Sydney yesterday, and there in the sky was written “Marry me TT” – I hope they said yes! (I do too! If you’re reading this TT, let us know!)

● The first mango peeping out of a tray at the supermarket.

● I was getting off the bus, and I said “Thank you, driver” as I always do, but this one said “I love you too” in response.

● When I can hear the ocean through the holiday house’s window.

● Opening up those glimmering boxes of Christmas ornaments (and memories) every year.

● I was at the Aldi checkout waiting to pay $30 for groceries, and the lass next to me said, “I’ll pay that, put it on my bill.”

● Slicing open a perfectly ripe avocado and there being not a brown spot in sight.

● Getting home from school and Mum has put fresh bed linen on my bed.

● When the sunlight reaches just enough intensity to activate the solar fountain in the bird bath of my garden.

Journalist Frances Whiting shares the beautiful moments she has received from readers. Pics Tara Croser.

● Aero chocolate.

● Being greeted by the sausage dogs like they haven’t seen you for 100 years but you just popped out for 10 minutes.

● An empty ironing basket.

● A cup of tea made for you without having to ask.

● Getting home late from work and the teenagers have “got the house ready for you”: lamp turned on next to my bed, blinds drawn.

● My daughter passed away. When someone speaks of her or says her name, it makes me glow.

● When you put your hand in the pocket of a jacket you haven’t worn for a while and find a $20 note lurking in the depths. Does it for me every time.

● The enthusiastic greeting I get every time from my mate’s dog, Denim. I now try to use the same level of enthusiasm when I greet my piano students!

● Spotting a pelican doing a Catalina landing on the bay.

● I was thinking of an old friend, and feeling sad I had lost contact with them, and later that day there was an email from her, saying exactly the same thing!

● Opening the first page of a new book by one of my favourite authors.

● My potted plant suddenly coming alive with colour.

So there you have it, a shimmer of glimmers. By the way, since my friend Susan told me about glimmers, I’ve discovered the term was coined by a trauma therapist, Deb Dana, who described them as “micro moments of joy”. Apparently they serve our mental health well, and tell our nervous system “you’re safe”. With that in mind, I think my favourite glimmer is when I pull into our driveway, the lights are on, my dog Wilson is at the door, my favourite people are inside, and I know I’m home.

Originally published as The most beautiful moments that readers share with me: Fran Whiting