After nearly 15 years of looking at the bright side as publisher of the Good News Network, I instinctively knew over the last 5 days that no matter how much hardship was thrown at me, it would only make things worse to complain. With each mishap or misfortune, celebration was warranted because inevitably "something good" showed up.
We call them heroes, but there is a sense among many of today's vets, and those who deal with them, that the public often has not embraced war veterans in a manner they can bear. Now, one ex-soldier, after having attempted suicide, is reaching out through his original music and making a difference for warriors who've returned home. Iraq War vet Jason Moon rejects the hero label, but still considers himself a warrior. So he is using his songwriting and musical talents to look back to see who among his comrades remain in trouble.
Teenagers who are locked up are still entitled to an education. Near Washington, DC a juvenile program for incarcerated youth has turned itself around, much like some of the inmates, thanks to poet, Maya Angelou. 60 teenagers study at the juvenile correctional center, amid barbed wire and guards, within the gleaming new walls of the Maya Angelou Academy. Where there once were shackles and beatings, now there is emotional as well as intellectual growth for the inmates, who are called scholars.
Sean Jacklin, 21, is riding his bicycle coast to coast -- 4,660 miles (7500 km) -- in an effort to shine a light on a topic many people find difficult to talk about, raising awareness and funds for the hospice movement across Canada. As the second cyclist to organize a solo tour supporting end of life care, Sean knows it is hard to raise money for something no one likes to talk about. He had already raised $10,000 before leaving the province. He had already raised $10,000 before leaving his home province of Victoria.
A bereaved husband painstakingly planted a tribute to his late wife, Janet using 6,000 oak trees to imprint a giant heart-shaped meadow in the middle of his 112-acre farm in South Gloucestershire, England. In a sudden flash of inspiration to mark her legacy, Winston Howe hired a gardener and spent weeks planning and setting out each oak, carefully creating an acre-long heart, which points in the direction of Janet's childhood hometown.
A Brooklyn girl with autism is safe thanks to a fast-acting neighbor who came to her rescue. The 7-year-old crawled out of her window and was dancing and singing on top of an air conditioner before she tripped and fell from the ledge. City bus driver Steve St Bernard, 52, was waiting below with his arms outstretched and managed to catch the girl, preventing disaster.
A World War II hero from Maine gave himself a 90th birthday present — his first skydiving jump from an airplane. Lester Slate, of Exeter, said he wasn't nervous as he strapped on a parachute, although he'd never jumped with one even during his more than 40 years flying for the Navy and the Coast Guard.
A national non-profit group, Flashes of Hope, photographs children who are facing serious health issues, in an effort to change how they view themselves. To date, more than 22,000 children have sat for portraits by skilled artists who know how to capture the spark in each person. The portraits, taken by award-winning photographers who volunteer their time along with make-up and hair stylists, preserve forever the beauty, grace and dignity of the children and their families.
Former Arizona congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, still recovering from wounds after being shot last year, traveled high up into the French Alps on Monday with her astronaut husband Mark Kelly.
President Barack Obama visited with survivors of the deadly Colorado shooting spree, and shared a moving, heroic account of two girls, best friends whose bond was stronger than fear or panic.
A site called Imgur was designed to share photos with social networks and online communities. Take a look at this amazing collection of photos depicting the beauty of mother nature and the best of human ingenuity...
A gifted musician who was shot in the head during the "Dark Knight" massacre last week will likely not sustain any major brain damage thanks to a birth defect that her pastor called a miracle.
Three of the hospitals taking care of people wounded in the Colorado theater shooting said Wednesday they will limit or completely wipe out medical bills for the 22 victims. Wednesday they will limit or completely wipe out medical bills for the 22 victims. Some of the wounded, many of them young, are uninsured and face mounting hospital bills.
The previously untold story of how an unprecedented network of high-achieving women from the world's largest companies, innovative startups, philanthropic organizations, government, and the arts combined forces to change the lives of girls and women everywhere.
For their their senior project, six Marquette University engineering students chose to design and manufacture a device that would help a young girl to feed herself. Without the device, Kailyn Pieper has to bring her mouth right down to the plate, when eating in the school cafeteria with her friends.
When Derek Amato crashed headfirst into the hard bottom of a pool, he was scared about what he might have done to his brain. But amazingly, the accident brought Amato an unexpected gift: it turned him into a musical savant. Amato now plays the piano like a virtuoso, making up melodies from the patterns of black and white blocks that stream across his brain in endless succession.
The social media community of Reddit has once again responded with incredible generosity to a personal story of tragedy posted on their website. Jake Villanueva, 23, was given six months to live after a surprise diagnosis of terminal kidney cancer and he posted his story on the website. Not to ask for anything, but just to talk. What happened next is the stuff of Reddit legend.
Steve Jobs, Winston Churchill, and J.K. Rowling have all lit fires in the bellies of graduates with their words. Whether or not you've walked across that stage, commencement speeches can be helpful to anyone, no matter their age. Here are a dozen inspiring graduation quotes.
The Automotivation program began eight years ago after the founder of San Antonio-based Operation Comfort talked with a soldier in Brooke Army Medical Center's burn ward. She said to the badly burned Aaron, What on earth can I do to make you use what hands you've got? He replied, If you put an engine block out there on that patio area I'd be working on it 24/7.
A mom racked up some good karma by recycling her son's old computer -- good karma that came in handy after she found out her son had stashed $300 inside the old PC. When they learned of the mishap, the facility that collects the used hardware from the New York landfill really wanted to solve the problem. We were very happy with Max's mom that she went the distance to recycle, so we wanted to go the distance to try to help out.
Recent Stories
A Heartfelt Reminder to Appreciate the Ones We Love
Cherish the Woman Who Stands by You
Breaking Generational Cycles of Pain
Living by Your Own Values, Not Others' Approval
When Life Brings Rain, It’s Okay to Rest
Before You Judge Someone's Life, Take a Moment to Walk in Their Shoes.
A Friend Who Spreads Gossip is Not a True Friend at All
The Value of Human Connection Over Digital Convenience
The Quiet Kind of Love
One Day, Your Mom Won’t Call You Anymore
I’ve reached a point in my life...
Happiness is a mindset, a conscious choice we make every day