Delight, A Radical Invitation
Your day is already full of delight—we must slow down to see it
One morning, coffee mug in hand, I caught myself staring at something so simple yet so magical—a narrow beam of sunlight glinted off my cup, scattering rainbow flecks across the table.
The cup’s warmth cupped in my palms, the hush of the not-yet-busy day—suddenly, everything seemed more alive, more vibrant, as if the universe were gently whispering, “slow down and see.”
For a suspended moment, I let myself be dazzled by that fleeting shimmer.
I felt delighted.
My body felt light, my mind fresh and blissful, and a warmth surrounded my heart and spread throughout my body…
Reimagining Delight
Delight felt familiar, yet just a little alien. Suddenly, I wondered what delight was, so I started where most of us do: the dictionary.
When you look up delight, you’ll find phrases like “great pleasure” or “high satisfaction.” And now, these definitions aren’t exactly wrong, but I couldn’t shake the sense that there’s something deeper at play—something a dictionary entry doesn’t quite capture.
I began to suspect there was a hidden, transformative magic beneath the surface of a simple spark of joy, so I went on a bit of a quest… I’m a researcher, after all. 😃
I scoured the internet, dove into Ross Gay’s The Book of Delights, and even meditated on the meanings of pleasure, bliss, and, yes, suffering.
After four weeks of pondering, journaling, and a couple times of crying out in frustration because my words weren’t wording, I arrived at my own definition—one that, to me, crystallizes the true potential of delight:
Delight is the spark that shatters routine, a flash of joy that invites us to dance with the unexpected.
It is both the tickling surprise of wonder and the aching beauty of the fleeting moment.
More than pleasure, it is a radical act of presence—a reclaiming of joy in defiance of the mundane.
Delight is not just felt—it transforms, connects, and reenchants our view of the world.
And when we allow ourselves to linger, to savor, delight becomes a sanctuary, a place where we can luxuriate in the richness of the present and stretch a single moment into something timeless.
I invite you to pause for a breath. Let this definition settle into your bones.
Think about the moments in your life that feel more profound than a passing smile—moments that shifted your whole perspective, if only for a heartbeat.
Maybe a memory of a spontaneous belly laugh that erupted at the perfect moment…
Or a sunrise so breathtaking you were compelled to stand still and witness it in silence?
I invite you to recall those instances now.
How does it feel to revisit them? What do they reveal about your own capacity for wonder?
To me, this is the power of delight. When we slow down enough to experience the layered richness of delight, these memories settle into our mind, body, and maybe even our soul, ready to be revisited… and because of this, I believe they become timeless.
Delight as a Radical Act
It’s easy to think of delight as a mere sprinkle of joy—a sweet cherry on top of life’s daily grind. But in a fast-paced world that rewards hustle and measures success by how quickly you can check off a to-do list, delight can be downright rebellious.
When we pause to notice the beauty of a moment or savor the warmth of a memory, we step off the treadmill of “go, go, go.” In doing so, we defy a culture that is freer with frustration and anger and stingier with kindness and compassion.
I was reminded of this in December while trying to calculate a tip at a restaurant.
After my head injury, I’ve had trouble with mental math, and honestly, it gets to me sometimes often. (AHHH, the strikethrough is so fun,
As I fumbled with numbers in my head, my frustration mounted—why can’t I do something so simple? Then, grudgingly (and very quickly), I pulled out my phone’s calculator.
But in that instant, a memory flashed across my mind: sitting at a diner table with my dad when I was a kid, watching him take out his very cool, very dad wallet—COMPLETE WITH A MINI CALCULATOR.
He punched in the numbers as I stared, wide-eyed with wonder at the buttons and screen. IN A WALLET.
Suddenly, I was back in that moment of childlike awe.
My irritation with myself disappeared, replaced by a goofy grin as I remembered just how magical that wallet-calculator seemed to me then.
When I finally looked up, everyone at the table was staring—apparently, I had been a little lost in my check, phone, and pen for quite a while, lost in that sweet little memory. It was a moment of delight that felt timeless, I was transported to the past, simply because I paused long enough to let it in.
That’s the power of delight in action—a radical choice to slow down, reconnect, and reclaim joy in the face of impatience, stress, or even self-criticism.
It’s multi-layered, weaving together past and present to remind us that wonder is always available, if we just pause long enough to notice it.
What would it mean for you to reclaim delight in your daily life? Where do you sense it’s been lost or overlooked? What pockets of routine or frustration could you let delight sneak in?
Because sometimes, all it takes is one small, silly spark—like the memory of a dad with a dad-gadget wallet—to turn frustrated quickness into an opportunity for childlike delight and wonder.
A Simple Ritual for Tuning into Delight
Over the past week, I’ve tried ending each day by listing one or two moments of unexpected joy or wonder. Here’s an experience from one of my favorite entries:
I found myself pushing a grocery cart with an absurdly squeaky wheel—like, a level of squeak that made me want to abandon the cart entirely. I was mortified. But then I noticed something: the squeaking was exactly in rhythm with the opening line of “Ocean Avenue” by Yellowcard.
(And before you call B.S., let me just say that I’d been listening to a playlist featuring that song during my drive back from Salt Lake City, so it was already playing in my head.)
Naturally, I popped in one of my AirPods and hit play, and—yep—I ended up shuffling around the store, dancing and lip-syncing to every lyric. Sorry Smith’s shoppers, if you judged me, I didn’t notice; I was too busy reveling in my little moment of squeaky-cart synchronicity.
In just a week, this nightly ritual has reminded me—and my heart—to actively seek out these subtle bursts of magic, then revisit them later.
It’s shown me that delight is always hovering close by, waiting to be noticed, treasured, and stashed away for when we need that spark the most.
And for anyone who would like to listen to Ocean Avenue, here is a link.
A Call to Luxuriate
Let’s come back to that first, simple morning—coffee in hand, sunlight dancing around the rim of the cup.
In that fleeting moment, the world fell into a hush.
The kaleidoscope of light on the table was more than mere illumination; it felt like an invitation to truly be there.
Time softened. My presence lightened.
We only have to pause long enough to let our experiences speak. Maybe there’s a gentle sunbeam catching your eye right now, or a bird’s song drifting through an open window.
Our everyday moments carry the seeds of delight—if only we pause and allow them to take root.
If you know of someone who could benefit from this perspective on delight, would you share this essay with them? Here is a button to do that, easily:
About Alex
I’m equal parts old soul and curious wanderer, a farmer boy at heart, and a writer whenever I can corral my ADHD.
As a political psychologist, yoga therapist, and integrative coach—anchored by both research and lived experience—I delve into questions of identity, connection, and wholeness, which are the foundation of my Substack publication, Life as I See It.
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Delight is totally radical, which means I must do it, despite the world's troubles weighing heavily on my heart. Thank you for introducing this concept. I believe we can cultivate it causing it to happen more.
I LOVE the image of you sashaying thru the grocery store, squeak / creak dancing to the tune you hear!