A Side of Tom Cruise

Last weekend, I wandered through the Wolfville Farmers Market with a simple mission: to find something delicious. It was well past lunchtime, and I was ready for something satisfying; earned after a busy week.

So, you can imagine my surprise when I spotted a sign advertising a chicken gyro wrap: free-range chicken, tzatziki… and a side of Tom Cruise.

I paused. Blinked. Read it again.

Now, I had questions. Was this clever marketing? A joke? Or had I stumbled upon the most creative culinary experience in Nova Scotia? I found myself smiling, already delighted, not by the food, but by the imagination behind it. Whoever created this sign, I thought, must have a wonderfully playful inner world.

Curiosity won. I stepped forward and asked.

The answer? “Not Tom Cruise”, the booth owner explained, “just tomatoes and cucumbers”.

I laughed, out loud, the kind that catches you off guard and comes out louder than expected.

And just like that, a small, ordinary moment became something more.

This is what happens when we’re open to glimmers. According to Deb Dana, they’re micro-moments of joy, safety, or connection. They don’t demand attention; they invite it.

I didn’t leave with a celebrity on the side of my wrap. But I did leave with something better: a lightness, a laugh, and a reminder that sometimes joy shows up when we’re simply willing to notice it.

Warmly,

Belinda Seagram, Ph.D., R. Psych.
Executive Director, Landing Strong