Things may seem pretty bleak at the moment. Some say our current crisis is very real, while others disagree. Either option is pretty depressing. However, one thing that hasn’t changed is the capacity within people for good. For the past few weeks, HMA has profiled each one of actor John Krasinski’s “Some Good News” episodes that highlight all the good stories from around the world. We’re still going to talk about his show, as long as he continues to produce it. But SGN isn’t the only source of goodness in dark times. To that end, we present our weekly feature, “The Happiness Press”! This is going to be a collection of feel-good stories from all corners of the world. We hope it brightens your week and reminds you that good news is all around us.
The quilt that wouldn’t quit
On Easter, a devastating tornado tore through Tennessee, destroying resident Beulah Lockmiller’s home. During the clean-up, she realized that a dresser containing a personally-valuable quilt was missing. The quilt was was made of military patches, photos, and memorabilia of Beulah’s husband’s military service. It even had a poem he wrote while deployed to Saudi Arabia during the Gulf War. Since her husband was no longer living, losing the quilt was devastating. The family took to social media to see if anyone in the area might have found it. Thanks to a reporter’s photograph of the quilt and thousands of shares on Facebook, a woman and her son who found it were able to reunite the family with the quilt that meant so much to them. The family says it feels like a light in the darkness.
Hanks so much!
By now, you’ve likely heard how actor Tom Hanks and his wife, actress Rita Wilson, were among the first known celebrities to contract COVID-19. The two of them recovered while being quarantined in Australia. While there, they received a letter from an eight-year-old boy who said he was being bullied due to his name, Corona. The boy inquired about the Hanks’ health and said that though he loved his own name, the teasing made him sad. Hanks replied to the boy’s letter and sent him a Corona-brand typewriter! He also told the boy that his name reminded him of the ring around the sun, also called corona, and that it was like a crown! As if Tom Hanks didn’t already have a permanent place in the world’s collective heart!
The “dogtor” will see you now
Therapy dogs are a happy sight in a medical facility, though the pandemic has made it difficult to have them visit hospitals for their normal services. The University of Maryland Medical Center has decided to do the next best thing by having their therapy dog, Loki, a 2-year-old Rottweiler, conduct digital visits! His trainer, a medical student in her second year, conducts FaceTime and other video call appointments with patients. His trainer also created “Hero Healing Kits” for medical staff, that have products meant to make the workers’ day a little easier, like lotion, lip balm, and tea packets. Loki’s photo is emblazoned on each ones. The project inspired at least one other medical student in Philadelphia to do the same thing! Good boy, Loki!
This is by no means an exhaustive list of all the goodness going on in the world. We hope it will inspire you to create your own patch of sun in the shade! And when you do, we at The Happiness Press – I mean, the Hot Mess Press – would love to hear about the good news all around us!
