Happy Sunday, dear friends. Today, I am feeling very sorry for myself and gratefully blessed at the same time.
You may wonder, how is it possible to have these two feelings at the same time? Well, I slipped and fell on the ice yesterday, and I knocked my head against the side of my house. I have a big egg on my forehead, a bruise on my elbow and another on my knee. I am tender and sore and sad.
I am also amazingly glad that I fell the way I did. Had I been 5 inches to the right, I would have gone through the leaded glass window panel in my front door. If I had slipped a few seconds before, I would have nailed my face into the brick steps. If I had fallen backwards, I could have slammed my head into the driveway pavement. I know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that my guardian angels made sure that they protected me to the best of their ability. I am eternally grateful for their assistance in my life, and I always have been.
So, while I am sore and a bit teary today, I know that I live in a supportive universe. I know that my guardian angels are looking out for me. I know that I will heal up quickly, and be back in the swing of things in no time. I also know that I need to treat myself gently and lovingly and not slip into self blame. When we live our lives as if everything unfolds perfectly before us on the divine path, then there is no room for blame. There is only personal responsibility and observance of divine perfection.
We may not know why things happen. We may not be happy that they have happened. We need not know the reasons or be happy about everything. We simply move into the experience, knowing it was placed on our divine path by our own higher being for our growth, and we do the best we can.
For me, today, that meant watching my favorite feel good movie, Wall-E, cuddled up on the couch with my daughter. I was also glad that today is Feel Good News day, because that always brings a smile to my face and cheers me up if I am feeling a bit down. So let’s serve up some good news for everyone!
Humans of New York have a huge heart for underprivileged kids.
If you are on Facebook, some of your friends may have liked the group Humans of New York. It started out as a photography blog, and began sharing interesting stories told by the people featured in the photographs. I learned about the group when my sister shared one of their stories with me on my wall.
Recently, they shared the photo of a young boy who lives in one of the poorest neighborhoods in New York City, called Brownsville, Brooklyn. They asked the boy who his hero was, and he said Nadia Lopez who is the principal at Mott Hall Bridges Academy. He said that she really sets high expectations for him and the other students at the school and makes them feel as if they can do anything.
Brandon, the founder of Humans of New York, was so inspired that he wanted to meet this amazing principal. After he learned how she was able to give these kids faith in their own abilities and really strive for excellence, he asked her what he could do to help. She shared that it was her dream to give these kids a taste of standing on the campus of one of the world’s top universities, like Harvard, and knowing that they belonged there.
Well, within minutes of posting a crowdfunding campaign to plan this field trip for the entire 6-th grade at the school, Humans of New York had raised well over the goal. The trip would cost about $30,000 US and they have raised over $870,000 so far!
I am sure this money will go to good use in the hands of such a supportive educator, and it shows the amazing amount of love that people can give to strangers when their stories inspire readers to act. Sharing these types of stories and presenting needs on social media, allow the entire world to assist if they wish. It gets the story out there and provides support in such an immediate fashion. I am sure we will see plenty more of this in the future, as people see how successful this campaign was.
A blind mom gets to see her baby for the first time.
This story was sent in by a dear reader. Kathy Beitz and her sister are both legally blind. They both have a rare form of genetically transmitted macular degeneration. Kathy has lived her life, since she was 11 years old, as a blind person.
Recently, she and her sister were gifted with a special pair of eSight Glasses. The glasses are based on a virtual reality screen and they film the environment, which is then enhanced and projected onto the inner screens. They make sight possible for the profoundly visually impaired.
Kathy had never even seen a baby, and in this beautiful video, she sees her own baby for the first time right after delivery. It made me so happy to know that technology has been created to give many people their sight back. It is also wonderful that these two women were gifted the $15,000 US glasses and they were both able to experience the wonder of seeing the baby together.
Donated Eyewear Allows Blind Mother to See Her Newborn Baby on Good News Network
Ben and Jerry’s give back in a big way.
We have visited the Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream Factory in Waterbury, Vermont many times with the kids. It is a fun place to visit, and the vibe is definitely hippy and loving. Our favorite thing, besides the free ice cream samples after the tour, is the old flavors “grave-yard” where you can see tombstones for flavors that didn’t survive the test of consumer demand.
I was happy to read this article, sent in by a lovely reader, about the way they support one of their ingredients suppliers in a big way. The 26 year old relationship began in a rather divinely, when the founder of Greystone Bakery, a buddist monk, met Ben and Jerry’s co-founder Ben Cohen at a business conference. The two hit it off and decided to work together on creating opportunities for the bakery.
Greystone Bakery in Yonkers, NY employs people who cannot get jobs elsewhere, due to prison records or drug abuse. Ben and Jerry’s has been mentoring the employees and together with Greystone, provide subsidized housing and child care for employees, community organic gardens and job training for the area’s poor community.
If you have ever had some Ben and Jerry’s Chocolate Fudge Brownie ice cream, you have tasted the fruits of the Greystone Bakery and supported a wonderful program that gives people a second chance to turn their lives around. This type of support between suppliers and producers should be a benchmark for many companies in the future, as businesses begin to understand the immense benefits of actually supporting their employees.
How You’re Saving the World by Eating Ben & Jerry’s (Really) by Rachel Tepper for Yahoo Food
Canadian Police officers buy back pawned wedding ring for struggling elderly couple.
Police in Cornwall, Ontario were responding to a domestic call when they discovered an elderly couple in significant distress. The woman had advanced dementia, and her husband was having difficulty taking care of her. They were suffering financially as well, and he had just pawned his wedding ring to pay for groceries.
The police officers responded by immediately purchasing groceries for the couple. They then collected funds amongst themselves, and bought the wedding ring back. The local community service and the Alzheimer’s Society are now involved with the case.
Services for this couple were already available, but they did not reach out for assistance. With the initial call to the police, events were set in motion to allow the officers to open their hearts, as well as allow this couple to receive the help they so desperately needed. What a beautiful unfolding!
City cops buy back pawned wedding ring for elderly Cornwall couple on the Cornwall Seaway News
Why are there scarves tied around trees in certain major cities?
Recently, scarves and hats, tied around trees and light poles, started appearing in cities like Wilmington, NC, in the US, and cities in Edmonton and Alberta, Canada. The knitwear have small notes attached that say they are not lost, and to please take them if you need to stay warm. They also encourage everyone to do something good for others today.
Groups of knitting and crocheting commandos are creating the scarves and distributing them in this way, to help support the poor and homeless during the winter months. Two groups, Scarves in the Port City and Chase the Chill, collect and distribute warm articles to those in need. They also promote the idea that small acts of kindness can make a huge difference in the lives of those who are struggling.
Since all my female relatives knit and crochet, and my brother’s family lives in Wilmington, NC, I wanted to share this within my family as a creative way to help others. I then thought you would all love to see it as well. Creating beautiful items to share with others, spreads the love and support far and wide, and is one of the foundations of a world that works for everyone.
And finally….
Dogs and babies add up to laughs.
I adore the interactions of babies with their pets, and I just found this cute compilation video that shows a bunch of dogs with their kids. They are hilarious and made me laugh, and so I share the humor with you all.
Dogs and their human babies on YouTube
That’s the good news for today. Have an amazing day. Please join Gavin Harrill for the Golden Gaia News Roundup on Monday.
Be Well. Be Joy. Be Love!
Alex