Rediscovering Delight, One Twist at a Time
Some joys (like Kaleidoscopes) are simple, colorful, and wonderfully noisy. For individuals in Maryland and DC, this reflection invites you to revisit forgotten pleasures and reclaim the small delights that once lit you up.
Oh, what glorious fun! Remember getting one of these for some occasion—your birthday, a holiday, or just for any day? A kaleidoscope is a joy in a tube. Not only does it make marvelous changing pictures, but it also makes that electrifying noise of silvery pieces tumbling in the tube. I have not had one of these for years. I must find a place to get one.
As a child, I remember receiving one of these for a birthday. The tube was about 1.5 inches in diameter and 7 or 8 inches long. When you turned the base, the pieces inside would make a sound like sand dropping on metal. The faster you turned it, the louder it got. The colorful pieces inside created myriad designs as you turned the collar. One design after another went tumbling. You could try to repeat a design, but you never could. No matter how many times you put it down on the table, you wanted to pick it up and twirl it again. Your siblings fought for their turns, and even your parents wanted a go at it.
Such a simple thing provided one delight after another. The colors were marvelous, and the tumbling sound of the pieces inside was satisfying too.
I think I need to find one of those and give it a go.
What are you remembering that you need to try again? What used to delight you and has now been lost in time?
Life has a way of slipping by. The things that used to delight you get stuck in the past. Particularly as you age, you find pieces of history slipping away. Oh, we used to play bridge, but then the neighbors moved away, and we have not found any substitutes since. Or, I haven’t bought any yarn in decades, and I used to make baby clothes and sweaters for everyone. Now, I can’t even remember why I stopped.
Life has a way of slipping by. We all know the treadmill that has turned into a clothes hanger or the bicycle that has flat tires and never seems to leave the garage.
My neighbor tells stories of playing golf, but has not been on a course for a decade. How is this possible? What happens to those things we used to do and enjoy?
If you could go back in time and pick up one thing that you used to do, what would it be? I might search for my knitting needles and see if I can find some yarn in the cedar chest. But I will definitely buy a kaleidoscope.
Want to explore more about joy, nostalgia, and emotional well‑being? Visit Psychology Today’s insights on how nostalgia supports emotional health and Greater Good’s research on how play and wonder support well‑being.
If this reflection inspires you to reconnect with forgotten joys or rediscover parts of yourself, therapy can help. Learn more about individual therapy in Maryland and DC or explore therapeutic approaches that support clarity, resilience, and renewed delight.
By Dr. Gloria K Vanderhorst