Watching the news can tend to be a real buzz-kill. The news is generally 30 minutes of non-stop bad news (especially in the summer when the even the weather report is bad news. Triple digits is entirely too much). But every now and then, a good story gets sprinkled in and that glimmer of hope is restored again. So here are some good things that have happened this past week:
1. Pokemon Go.
Yes, some people think it is a silly game. But in reality, it is something much bigger. I have seen a handful of stories about people's children who have Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) who are socializing and interacting with people thanks to this game, which is wildly out of character for someone with ASD.
But there is another story I heard this week that made my heart smile. A children's hospital in Michigan is embracing the game and medical professionals are encouraging their patients to play. This game is getting the kids out of their beds and walking around, but the kids just look at it as something fun to do.
2. Chick-fil-A
Chick-fil-A has been in the news a lot lately for supporting people through some tough times - like Orlando. One particular Chick-fil-A was in the news this week for something their employees did. They had a "Galaxy Night" where people came and dressed up as Star Wars characters. One boy in a wheelchair wanted to play with some kids but they turned him down. When the employees learned what had happened, they met the young boy outside with light sabers and had a duel with him to make sure he had a good time that evening, too.
3. 6-year-old Angel
This sweet, selfless 6-year-old encountered a homeless man on the street after shopping with her mom. She learned he had no home, so she took money from her own allowance to give to him and encouraged him to go to McDonald's to get something good to eat. You can't teach kindness and empathy like that.
4. Best Dog Day
BarkBox has this sweet thing they do for dog's who deserve to have a great day - they call it the Best Dog Day. Well this past week, they posted a video of Cherry's Best Dog Day (below). Cherry was rescued from Michael Vick's dog fighting ring in 2007. As you'll see in the video, Cherry has a laid back and fun loving personality. He got the Best Dog Day, and it will warm your heart to watch.
It's so good to see heartwarming stories in the news. Kindness should always be louder than hate. If we can all spread a little love like these folks have, this world would be a much better place. Enjoy your week and look for the good stuff!
