If you've been following the news lately you probably feel like I do: depressed, frustrated, discouraged and scared. Stories of rape, mass shootings, hate crimes and misogyny litter my Facebook timeline. I've stopped watching NBC Nightly News because it just makes me sad. According to a CBSnews.com article I recently stumbled upon, a whopping 39 percent of millennials (adults ages 18-33) reported an above average stress level, 19 percent have diagnosed depression and 12 percent have diagnosed anxiety disorders. The excess of negative and frightening news stories spawn paranoia and stress. We've grown up in a post 9/11 world of fear. We've been taught to be scared. In light of the recent horribly tragic events, I thought it might be nice to remind myself, and whoever might be reading this, that the world isn't all bad. It can't be. Here are 20 reasons – stories, people, pleasurable things – that remind us that love is prevalent, joy exists and heroes are real.
1. A Colorado Springs school teacher wrote 130 handwritten notes to various students after one of her students attempted suicide.
Because mental illness is often silent and invisible, this teacher vowed to do what she could by taking two months to write a personal note to each and every student. Brittni Darras's goal was to tell each teenager how special and unique they were, she handed them out the day before summer vacation.
2. In August 2010, Times Square staged the first annual "Kiss In" to celebrate the second World War generation and reenact the famous kissing picture taken on V-J Day.
3. The unlikely friendship of Bubbles, the elephant, and Bella, the black lab.
"Bubbles was brought to a safari reserve in the U.S. after she was rescued from ivory poachers in Africa, while Bella was left there by a contractor for the park."
3. This Home Depot flashmob proposal.
4. Lily's Disneyland surprise.
I recommend you head over to YouTube and watch this full video, but Lily's parents totally surprised this adorable Disney fanatic with an unexpected birthday trip, and she totally freaks out. It's possibly the sweetest thing I've ever seen. It starts with a backpack full of Disney merchandise, snacks and a WDW T-shirt. Then the mom asks, "Where do you think we should take all of this stuff?" and Lily of course responds with "Disneyland," only to find out that, yes, that is indeed where they are taking this stuff.
5. Corgi flop
Type this into the search bar on YouTube, and you'll see why it is included in this list.
6. Strangers joined together to replace a homeless man's beloved violin when it was stolen.
7. Every girl at this school was given a flower for Valentine's Day.
A 17-year-old boy spent $450 and took months planning to make sure every girl in his high school received a Valentine's flower. When asked about his good deed, he responded with, "I don't think anything can compare to seeing every girl in your life holding a flower as they walk through the halls."
8. Lin-Manuel Miranda's 2016 Tony Award acceptance speech.
"We chase the melodies that seem to find us until they're finished songs and start to play when senseless acts of tragedy remind us that nothing here is promised, not one day. This show is proof that history remembers. We live through times when hate and fear seem stronger. We rise and fall, and light from dying embers, remembrances that hope and love last longer and love is love is love is love is love is love is love is love cannot be killed or swept aside. I sing Vanessa's symphony, Eliza tells her story. Now fill the world with music, love and pride. And thank you so much for this." –Lin- Manuel Miranda
9. A 5-year-old boy saved up all of his birthday money to take his best friend on a first date.
Little Freddie Gibson took his best friend Dee Dee on a date to Pizza Express. When asked about how the date went, he responded with, "Dee Dee is my best friend in the whole world, and I loved our date. I'd like to take Dee Dee on another date because she's beautiful."
There you have it, folks.
10. This owl can't stop hugging the man that rescued her.
The president of the Wild at Heart Rescue center in Mississippi nursed this owl back to health after she flew into a car. They two now share a loving bond.
11. Chicago police officers escort father-less young women to Daddy- Daughter dances.
12. The love story of Lucas and Stella, 14-year-old cancer patients
Lucas and Stella met in March 2011 at Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo, New York. They both were diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. According to them, it was love at first sight. The pair underwent chemotherapy together every Monday and just recently attended their first prom.
13. These first look wedding day reactions.
14. Stephen Colbert talking to these kids about the 2016 election.
Search this one on YouTube. There's a lot of talk about Trump's hair that looks like a "creepy creature that crawled on his head" and that Cruz looks like a snake. Really delightful.
15. The joy these little girls exude while singing "Let It Go" from "Frozen."
The video has 61,078,618 views and is captioned, "This was made to show you what it looks like when two 4-year-olds just go for it! Pure, raw, heartfelt and completely innocent!"
16. These golden retriever comfort dogs are being deployed to Orlando in the wake of the Pulse Nightclub tragedy.
The dogs are trained specially to provide comfort to those struggling from emotional trauma. Golden retrievers were also sent in to help after the Sandy Hook shootings. There's something so special about this particular breed of dog, and I'm not just saying that because I happen to own one.
17. These real places that exist.
Bojnice Castle in Bojnice, Slovakia.
Mount Fuji
The Lofoten Islands, Norway
18. This letter a father wrote to his little girl.
Music, literature, paintings, dance – we are blessed with the capacity and imagination to create these amazing things.
20. Love
Love will always trump hate. We can overcome even the darkest of moments... if we only have love.
