Glimmers

Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863. But it wasn’t until June 19, 1865, that Union Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, with General Orders No. 3 — finally enforcing the Proclamation and freeing more than 250,000 enslaved people across the state. Justice arrived late, but it did arrive. That day was a glimmer for people who had been denied their freedom. The scars of enslavement would remain, but freedom was now real. That’s what glimmers are. And each Friday, I look at my own — and encourage you to look at yours, too. I took several days off this week, and days off mean new coffee shops. So I tried Goodpeople, Chamberlin Coffee, Goodboybob, and Saba Surf. I even picked up beans from Chamberlin and Goodpeople. A flexible schedule also let me drive my son to his internship. And watching the World Cup? That’s a glimmer too. Glimmers are not toxic positivity. They acknowledge the hard truths and hard events of life — but they also make room for what is true and joyful.

Where in your own life has freedom, healing, or justice arrived later than it should have — and how did you make room for joy without pretending the pain wasn’t real?