Can you be too positive? I believe qualities like kindness are fully renewable resources. (After all, what reasonable person could look upon humanity and think, "Whoa! That's quite enough kindness. We should be worse to each other.") Positivity, however, is different. There's toxic positivity, which encourages us to minimize others' suffering and ignore our own complicated feelings in favor of fake-it-til-you-make-it optimism. That's unsustainable. But there is another kind of positivity that feels truly endless; the kind that recognizes our collective capacity for cruelty, violence and prejudice can never outmatch our collective capacity for something ... better. This tells us there's always a chance. It puts trust in the idea that people, though often confused, frustrated and easily led astray, can never be severed from the ties of kinship that bind us. That doesn't mean things aren't painful at times. It simply means there's always hope, and that we owe it to ourselves — and others — to keep trying to be better.
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| Our favorites this week Get going with some of our most popular good news stories of the week
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A friend to the animals
If you love your pet and can't imagine an America without animal welfare,* give a little nod of thanks to Henry Bergh, the animal rights activist who founded the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in 1866. Yes, the cultural norm of treating our animal friends well is relatively new, but because of Bergh's work and those he inspired, dogs, cats and other domestic animals rose in the public's respect over the course of mere decades. In fact, New York's Hartsdale Pet Cemetery — established in 1896 and the oldest animal burial ground in the US — is considered a direct result of this animal rights movement. Bergh's story, and the story of the early animal rights movement in America, is a complex one. But it shows what true passion can achieve, even if it takes years to see change. Read the whole story here. (Note a familiar byline: Scottie Andrew, our favorite Good Stuff fill-in writer!) * Yes, I know what you're thinking. Animals are still treated abominably by some and our relationship with them still needs a lot of work. But every positive change has to start somewhere. |
On cloud 9
Some people aren't fans of public proposals, let alone ones on a plane. But this one, oh, this one's good. Captain Konrad Hanc proposed to his flight attendant partner Paula during a recent LOT Polish Airlines flight, and this man got it movie-perfect. Along with a bouquet of flowers and, of course, a ring, Hanc delivered a real winner of a speech over the intercom: "Ladies and gentlemen, about one and a half years ago in this job I met the most wonderful person that completely changed my life," he said. "You are most precious to me. You are my greatest dream come true. This is why I have to ask you a favor, honey. Will you marry me?" In a video posted by the airlines, Paula can be seen running down the cabin aisle to say yes. Too cute! Read the whole story here. |
All means y'all
Beyonce's album "Cowboy Carter" is sparking fascinating conversations about what defines country music. (As a country lover I have a lot of strong feelings on this topic, which you can read about here, here and here.) The album's success has also brought attention to the Black Opry, an organization that champions Black country artists and music lovers. Established as a blog in 2021, the Black Opry also holds concerts to help raise the visibility of performers. Artists like Nashville-based singer and songwriter Aaron Vance say they got some of their big breaks from being a part of the Black Opry. For founder Holly G., it's not just about making space for artists. When she started the project, she found countless Black country fans hungry for a welcoming space to engage with the music they love. Read the whole story here. |
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| This week on the 5 Good Things podcast, elementary school kids show us a few kind words can go a long way with a cheerful hotline. A chain of cafes that employs people with intellectual and developmental disabilities just opened a US location, and scientists have had a conversation with a whale for the first time. Listen to the latest episode here! |
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Nothing to see here, just a giant clownfish doing regular clownfish stuff like, you know, scanning waterways for data to reduce pollution and other threats to aquatic life. These fish-like drones made by Aquaai have cameras and sensors and even move like real fish. The company's founders say the technology could be used for water management, sustainable aquaculture operations, detecting derelict fishing gear and monitoring the health of corals. Typically, waterways are monitored manually, which makes for slow and sporadic data collection. These charming fish could make that work much easier. Read the whole story here. |
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What a shot! This is 22-year-old surfer Gabriela Bryan, who just won her first world championship tour event at the Western Australia Margaret River Pro. Her win was made even cooler when a pod of dolphins joined her for a ride on her final wave of the competition. "That wave was sent to me by someone, the dolphins in it," she said after her victory. "It was magical." Read the whole story here. |
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"I have this illness for some unknown reason. The way I see it, I have two choices. Either I train like an athlete and work super hard, or I switch off and it's over, I stay at home, listen to my songs, stand in front of my mirror and sing to myself. I've chosen to work with all my body and soul, from head to toe, with a medical team. I want to be the best I can be."
- Celine Dion, on living with stiff person syndrome, a rare and debilitating neurological condition. The icon told Vogue France that at first, she was angry and confused about her diagnosis, but gratitude for good medical care and the love of her friends, family and fans have helped her find hope in a difficult situation. |
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Rec of the week Brought to you by CNN Underscored |
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| Shameless animal video There's always time for cute animal videos. That time is now. |
Good thing cats are aerodynamic, because one little surprise sent this one flying across the room! Yes, of course it's OK. (Click here to view) |
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