Last weekend, my husband hiked a portion of the Appalachian Trail. He was near the end of his three-day, 45-mile journey when a day hiker caught up to him. They chatted, as people on the trail do, and the other hiker went on. In the final mile of my husband's hike, he met the same hiker again going the other way. The hiker smiled in recognition, and handed him, of all things, a Snickers bar. "I thought you'd like it," the guy said. My husband said he could have cried. Wet, tired, aching, and yes, very hungry, that little gesture was exactly what he needed to make the final push. So no, an act of kindness is never "too little." It's never unimportant. The best part is, my husband says that's the way of things for hikers on the AT — they look after each other, whether it's politely checking in with a woman hiking alone or offering help in a tricky situation. There's a solidarity there that we can emulate no matter where we are. On the trail, you're encouraged to "hike your own hike," just as we forge our own paths in life. That doesn't mean we don't need or deserve help from others. In fact, it's the very opposite. Go your own way, help others do the same, and everyone gets what they need. If there's something you'd like to see here, drop us a line. Know someone who could use a little Good Stuff? Send them a copy! We hope you love it as much as we do. |
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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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Bound for greatness
Stories like this are what the Good Stuff is about, so I highly encourage you to read this whole article about infant twins who were saved by an Army leader during Hurricane Katrina. The pair just graduated high school in Atlanta and were able to honor the man who helped them in an emotional video call. As the aftermath of Katrina ravaged New Orleans, Alexandria Wheeler ventured out into unsafe streets to find help for her twin babies, A'Mari and J'Mari Reynolds. The two were starving and dehydrated and Reynolds feared no one was coming to save them. That's when she saw Lt. Gen. Russel Honoré — one of the most important figures in Hurricane Katrina's military relief efforts. "It was like God just coming in, stepping in out of nowhere," Reynolds told CNN. Though the encounter was short, the ties between them remained strong over the years. Before A'Mari and J'Mari's high school graduation this spring, they made a video call to Honoré with some exciting news. A'Mari went first: "You played a pivotal role in my life," he told the former lieutenant general. "And thanks to you, I'll be a future addition to the United States Marine Corps." Then, it was J'Mari's turn: "You gave me at least a bunch of hope that there's still good in the world," he said. "I'm going to college to do automotive engineering," he declared. "I want to help other people and make sure everything is safe for them." After expressing his joy at seeing the two infants he once held in his arms all grown up, Honoré offered an even more important acknowledgment to their mother. "They're here today because of you and your tenacity and your willingness to fight for them," Honoré said. Read the whole story here. (Trust me, there's so much more!) |
An heirloom returns
When Celia Bashaw's mother died two years ago, Bashaw started looking around the family's belongings for an heirloom art piece her great-uncle had carved that both her mother and grandmother had loved. In the way of family effects, her great-uncle had given it to someone else in the family at some point, hoping they would hold on to it. Instead, they sold it. That didn't deter Bashaw though. She made a Facebook post in a group for Vermonters, hoping she could track down the buyers and get the piece back. After hundreds of shares and lots of conversations, the post reached Chris McKirryher and her partner, Phil Matte, in Rutland, Vermont. The couple had bought the carving at a yard sale. They arranged a meetup with Bashaw, and the prized leopard carving is now back with her. "Having a piece of art that was so important to them finally be back and in my grasp … I wish I could tell my mom about it because she would just scream, just like I did," Bashaw said. Read the whole story here. |
One last flight
Captain Theresa Claiborne has had an incredible career. In 1982, Claiborne became the first Black woman to fly in the US Air Force, and she's been flying high ever since. After 43 years as a military and then a commercial pilot, she just retired from United Airlines. Her last flight was filled with family and friends and capped off by a water cannon salute — a mark of respect that sees two fire engines use their water cannons to create a huge arc over a plane. However, she's still making an impact in the aviation industry. Claiborne is currently the president of Sisters of the Skies, a not-for-profit organization focused on helping increase the number of Black women pilots, which awards scholarships to "women who are able, and who want to be pilots." Read the whole story here. |
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The Mojave Desert Land Trust (MDLT) is a non-profit land conservancy that works to preserve and protect the Mojave and Colorado desert landscapes of California, and they're doing it one seed at a time. Contrary to popular belief, deserts are teeming with life: There are about 2,400 different plant species in California's deserts alone. The organization's seed bank is a precious holding spot so the seeds of these plants can be preserved against the perils of time and climate change. This so-called "Noah's Ark" for Southern California is housed in three refrigerators at MDLT headquarters in Joshua Tree and contains nearly 5 million seeds from 250 species. Last year, MDLT received a $3.2 million grant from California's Wildlife Conservation Board to help expand the project. Read the whole story here. |
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| This week on the 5 Good Things podcast, a Chicago teenager became the youngest person in her university's history to earn a doctorate degree. The discovery of a long-lost branch of the Nile River could help solve a mystery of the pyramids. Plus, do you think you could win a 'do nothing' contest? Listen to the latest episode here! |
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It's Memorial Day weekend, which means grills and smokers are going to be out in full force. We Americans are pretty proud of our barbecue, but it doesn't hurt to get some inspiration from other places around the world. In South Africa, community gatherings may feature a braai (above), which is Afrikaans for barbecue and involves a big grill with cuts of steak, sausage and chicken sosaties (skewers). In the Philippines, a celebration may include a lechon, or a whole impaled pig, spit-roasted over a charcoal bed. Whatever the culture, there is one human pastime that unites us: Standing with friends and family around a bunch of cooking meat. Cheers! Read the whole story here. |
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Rec of the week Brought to you by CNN Underscored |
Memorial Day sales are here, and we've collected the best ones Our editors will be refreshing this article during MDW with deals we think are actually worth it. From shoes, electronics, furniture and more, shop our picks. Click here to sign up for the Underscored Deals newsletter so you don't miss our complete Memorial Day coverage. |
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Shameless animal video There's always time for cute animal videos. That time is now. |
"Honey, who's at the door? It better not be that darn woodpecker again!" (Click here to view) |
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