A Forgotten Young Man When one woman runs into a childhood neighbor, she falls to tears after learning the hardships that have cast a shadow over his life. After his parents died, he lost two older siblings. He had become a husband and a father, but found himself lost for meaning. "Fighting back tears, I asked him if he needed some help getting back on his feet. He said he wanted to start a small business of his own. And so, I then gave him some money which I must say, he has wisely used. Last week he came to see me... He said from the amount that I had given him, he had made a significant profit which he has reinvested in his business. The young man is now happy, able to take his son to school and pay for his rent." And the happiness came full circle as the woman beamed at the opportunity to serve, and the possibilities of transformation.... posted on Aug 20 2010, 0 cmts
3495 reads
Live Life as an Experiment It was an experiment. Peter Bregman was returning an item to a store. The item was well within the return period, but there would be a 20 percent restocking fee. Having recently decided to live life as an experiment, Bregman decided to see if he could tap into the store manager's compassion to waive the fee. In the grand scheme of things, it was a small act. Yet in the process of experimenting, the most powerful lessons emerged. "What I learned is the power of framing... Because when we live life as an experiment, we are far more willing to take risks, to acknowledge failure, to learn and develop," he sums up. "If it's an experiment, then taking a risk is the win - whether it pans out or not."... posted on Aug 19 2010, 6 cmts
1605 reads
Box of Chocolates Marathon For a serious distance runner, 7 hours, 48 minutes is not a great marathon time. But for Brian Fugere, it's a miracle. He'd been diagnosed with synovial sarcoma -- a rare soft-tissue cancer -- in his lung. Yet during his fourth cycle of chemotherapy, he still managed to drag an IV pole for all 26.2 miles. Oh, and this marathon took place in a hospital hallway. Inspired by Lance Armstrong's book that stresses how important it is to "keep moving," Fugere started doing laps around the cancer ward. Realizing it would take 144 laps to do a marathon, he wanted "to show other chemo patients that you don't have to accept the notion of lying in bed all day getting liquid Drano pumped into you." Those 144 laps raised $42,000 for the Sarcoma Foundation of America. And since then, Fugere has kept moving.... posted on Aug 18 2010, 5 cmts
2115 reads
The Two-Rupee Miracle On the dusty streets of Pushkar, India, a few men stop for a smoke. When an old woman asks for a rupee to buy lunch, they promptly refuse and walk away. Eyes on their backs, the woman observes, "These young men will burn more than a rupee for their bad habit, but will never give a rupee to a hungry person." With her words echoing in his ears, one man returns to offer her two rupees. An hour later, he finds the same beggar under a tree feeding a young girl in torn dress. "Amma, who is that girl?" he asks. "She couldn't arrange a rupee today, so I have brought lunch for her out of the money you gave for dinner. Don't worry, God will arrange for my dinner." Astonished at her generosity, he reflects, "I got the strength to quit the [smoking] habit in that moment. No 'statuary warning' on the packet could teach me the lesson that the beggar woman did that day," he remarks.... posted on Aug 17 2010, 9 cmts
1084 reads
Scientists Discover by Sharing A wealth of recent scientific papers on the early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease is announcing groundbreaking discoveries, thanks to an unprecedented initiative by key players in public, private and academic sectors: a collaborative effort to find the biological markers that show the progression of Alzheimer's disease in the human brain. The key to this Alzheimer's project was an agreement as ambitious as its goal: not just to raise money and do research on a vast scale, but also to share all the data, making every single finding public, immediately available to anyone with a computer anywhere in the world. No one would own the data. No one could submit patent applications, though private companies would ultimately profit from any drugs or imaging tests developed as a result of the effort. The collaboration is already serving as a model for similar efforts against Parkinson's disease, such as a $40 million project to look for biomarkers for Parkinson's.... posted on Aug 16 2010, 4 cmts
2093 reads
How to Live and Die Death is rarely spoken about in our homes. "I wonder why," remarks Khushwant Singh. At 95, Singh thinks of death very often. But he does not lose sleep over it. A self-described agnostic, Singh states that ultimately, he does "not know what happens to us after we die but one should help a person go in peace--at peace with himself and with the world." From his 95 years of experience, Singh offers eight insights into a life of peace and happiness. They include: good health, understanding companionship, fulfilling hobbies, time for introspection, and patience.... posted on Aug 15 2010, 7 cmts
1100 reads
The Little Red Wagon "Some boys like to play baseball, some boys like to play football. He likes to do charity work," explains Zach Bonner's mom, chuckling. In 2004, six-year-old Zach went door to door with his little red wagon to collect water for the victims of Hurricane Charlie. Inspired by helping others, he started his own charity, aptly named, The Little Red Wagon Foundation. Since then, Bonner has raised thousands of dollars to purchase school supplies, food, and support services for homeless children in Florida and Louisiana. Today, the twelve-year-old is walking across the country to raise even more funds for the homeless. "It takes a lot of hard work, but it's a lot of fun," he remarks. Wise beyond his years.... posted on Aug 14 2010, 1 cmts
1684 reads
Ice Cream Truck of the Digital Age Ice cream: the sweet taste of summer. It's the cool reward of a job well done, a game well-played, or a tasty excuse to prolong a classic first date. While the song of the ice cream truck has the power to bring forth a lot of smiles, one company has taken this to a whole new level with their latest invention: the world's first smile-activated ice cream vending machine. Using cutting-edge technology, the creators are on a mission to encourage people everywhere to share life's small moments of happiness. Through the power of facial recognition, 3G and Facebook, the vending machine gifts each grinning user with a tasty ice cream treat. All you need to bring is a smile!... posted on Aug 13 2010, 2 cmts
2056 reads
The Beautiful Brain Elizabeth Jameson found her art when her own brain lost one of its most basic functions. After suddenly finding herself unable to speak, Jameson was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) in 1991. She soon came to know the geography of her own mind through countless MRI sessions. For the anxious patient, the black and grey pixels of MRI images can appear ugly and frightening. With a strong urge to reinterpret this medical imagery, Jameson writes that her MS inspires her "to create images that provide new insights into the brain and, at the same time, makes medical imaging and its representative humanity more accessible" for all who view them. Her striking artwork reinterprets the brain's scientific mysteries with a raw degree of humility and awe.... posted on Aug 12 2010, 3 cmts
5097 reads
Can You Teach Emotional Intelligence? "Our kids need a peaceful place," says elementary school Principal Eileen Reiter who works in Harlem, New York. "It has to be a place where kids can come and feel relaxed and feel safe and get a lot of support." Support, in this case, means more than just academic training and a hot lunch. Reiter has embraced a philosophy known as Social and Emotional Learning (SEL), which teaches students ways to moderate their own emotions and manage conflicts with others. Through activities like guided meditations, conflict resolution workshops, and reflective writing exercises, SEL offers children the space to calm themselves, observe the world, and reduce emotional distractions so that they are free to concentrate more effectively on what they are learning. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan agrees with SEL's revolutionary potential. "These are learned skills," he says. "Children can have huge challenges, but when you help them learn how to handle them, you have a chance."... posted on Aug 11 2010, 3 cmts
2295 reads
Secret Agent of Kindness For the past year, Laura Miller has been living a double life of sorts: administrative assistant by day, secret agent of kindness by night. The 32-year-old only recently revealed herself as the woman behind "Secret Agent L," a giver of random acts of kindness that has been brightening the days of unsuspecting Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania residents since July 2009. What started with a friend's request to do a random act of kindness in honor of her birthday has rippled happiness across the city, in the form of flowers on windshields, a roll of quarters at a laundromat, chocolate bars on desks, the list goes on... Her project even attracted 80 "Secret Agent Affiliates" who are spreading kind anonymous acts around the world. "I think people are so hungry to not feel alone," she remarks. "There's so much hurt out there and my project is an attempt to heal some of that."... posted on Aug 10 2010, 3 cmts
3205 reads
An Experiment in Generosity Sally Anderson had 500 dollars to give away. How and where to give it? As she writes, "My husband suggested Goodwill. He said, 'Why not give some money to a family? It should be easy.' So we stopped at Goodwill. I saw a young man buying T-shirts and said, 'I'm part of a generosity project. I'd like to give you $20.' He said, 'Wow, thanks, that's great! Are there more people like you out there?' I was feeling very successful, so as I passed by a man, woman and child with a cart looking like they were going to do some serious shopping, I offered again, much as I had with the young man. this man looked horrified, said, 'No!' and walked away. There I was again with that awful feeling of embarrassment and awkwardness. I went over to where my husband was looking for jeans and said, 'Why do I feel like crying?' He shook his head and shrugged, 'Look, I'm not even gutsy enough to try it. Don't ask me.'"... posted on Aug 09 2010, 6 cmts
416 reads
Bike Cops Plant Seeds of Kindness Usually an encounter with the police is not cause for celebration. But a few bicycle cops in Minneapolis are turning that notion on its head, tending to local youth in underserved neighborhoods through bike education, giveaways such as helmets and even new bikes, and just providing a caring presence. The free bikes and helmets are just icebreakers that allow the officers to give children attention and show them they are important. No matter what, the officers greet everyone enthusiastically. They push children on swings. They wade in park pools in full uniform. They lie on the ground for group pictures. "You have something to talk about and tell them, 'I want you to be safe,'" says Officer Klukow.... posted on Aug 08 2010, 0 cmts
1425 reads
Less Give More As the saying goes, life at the bottom is nasty, brutish and short. For this reason, some might assume that people in lower social classes will be more self-interested and less inclined to consider the welfare of others than upper-class individuals. A recent study, however, flips this idea on its head. Experiments by Paul Piff and his colleagues at the University of California, Berkeley concludes that the poor, not the rich, are more inclined toward charity. The increased compassion among the poor, Piff suggests, increases generosity and helpfulness, and promotes a level of trust and cooperation that may be essential for survival during hard times.... posted on Aug 07 2010, 9 cmts
2172 reads
Forget Brainstorming, Boost Creativity Brainstorming in a group became popular in 1953 with the publication of a business book, "Applied Imagination". But it's been proven not to work since 1958, when Yale researchers found that the technique actually reduced a team's creative output: the same number of people generate more and better ideas separately than together. In fact, according to University of Oklahoma professor Michael Mumford, half of the commonly used techniques intended to spur creativity don't work, or even have a negative impact. So what does? Instead of engaging in intentional brainstorming activities, simple things like taking a break, exercise, or watching less television can boost out-of-the-box thinking and create more effective and fulfilling results.... posted on Aug 06 2010, 6 cmts
2631 reads
A Course in Miracles Arriving in a new city, I broke my leg shortly after starting graduate school. Feeling lonely and homesick, so many blessings I never expected came my way. Many small acts of kindness stayed with me. There were the bus shuttle drivers who gave me the luxury of being picked up from any place and made sure I got connections to wherever I was going. And the many people who held doors for me - small things that were incredibly hard with crutches. I tried to repay the universe for its blessings however I could. Sometimes the worst situations are also blessings: chances to witness great kindness from the universe. My first week of grad school, I was made to attend a class that I never signed up for: A Course in Miracles.... posted on Aug 05 2010, 1 cmts
1911 reads
The Blazeman: An Ironman Completing in an ironman triathlon is no small feat - a 2.4 mile swim followed by a 112 mile bike ride followed by a marathon (26.2 mile run)! Jon Blaise recently completed all of this while having a debilitating disease called ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis), which attacks the motor neurons, or nerve cells, in the brain and spinal cord. "I think when I'm sitting in a wheelchair, down the road, I'll know that I've fought the great fight," Jon smiles. "This is it. Your life. Face your fears and live your dreams."... posted on Aug 04 2010, 1 cmts
2991 reads
Misfit Entrepreneurs Imagine Walt Disney at the age of nineteen. His uncle asks him what he plans to do with his life, and he pulls out a drawing of a mouse and says, "I think this has a lot of potential." Or Springsteen. After a show one night, his father, who hated the guitar, asked him what he thought he was doing with himself. How does he tell his father, "I'm going to be Bruce Springsteen"? All great things begin with the courage to be vulnerable. There's a misfit in each of us, and to love it is the most poignant quality in every entrepreneur.... posted on Aug 03 2010, 1 cmts
4875 reads
The Art of Effective Apology We've all felt it. The dreaded blow to our gut or the blush of pride when we realize that we did wrong, we were at fault, and now it's time to own up. Though unpleasant at first, apologizing is actually a sign of strength, not weakness. Author John Kador notes, "Leaders who apologize are seen as confident, signaling the three qualities that most modern leaders desire to communicate: humility, transparency, and accountability. Effective apology does not come easy -- none of us likes admitting that we made a mistake -- nor does it come without cost, but it is less costly than the alternatives of denial, deception, and cover-up." Kador offers up the five Rs of an effective apology:... posted on Aug 02 2010, 1 cmts
1349 reads
Story of a Ballerina "She lived in the shanties, the poverty-stricken shanties, but she had a desire far beyond the reach of her environment." Sibahle Tshibika, a ballet dancer from a poor township outside Cape Town, South Africa, is training with a United States ballet company--all because of a documentary, and an email from a caring viewer. "Ghetto Ballet" chronicles four dancers, including Tshibika, as they audition for a dance company in the US. While, Tshibika fails to make the cut at the end of the film, her powerful story moved one viewer to contact the Atlanta Ballet on her behalf. The young dancer shares, "If you believe in something, you should stick on it and be sure that one day it's going to happen--and if it didn't, don't just give up."... posted on Aug 01 2010, 1 cmts
DailyGood is an inspiring quote, a related good-news story, and a simple action -- delivered to your inbox for free by volunteers every day. Just a ripple a day, simply to spread the good.
