We've had a few bickering threads around here (which is par for the internet, I realize), so why not a good old fashioned heartwarmer? I'm pretty sure it was somebody on here that linked givesmehope.com to me in a rep point, and as cheesy as it sounds, it's nice to have a reminder that people are decent often for no reason. Focus: Post your stories, be they about your or somebody else, that remind us that we just might not be irrevocably fucked after all.
9 year old builds an insane cardboard arcade, gets flashmobbed by geeks who donate to a college fund for him The video is one of the greatest things I've ever seen on the internets. They're at almost $200k for his college fund now. On an unrelated but still awesome and gives me hope for the species kind of level - NSFW This whole geeks being sexy thing that's happening? I'm a big fucking fan.
When you get the trickle down stories of professional athletes visiting/hanging out with/helping kids who are either sick or in need without accompanying publicity. There are plenty of athletes with foundations out in hospitals or helping kids and I don't patently think they are disingenuous or doing it for the wrong reasons, but as an athlete, you have a brand to cultivate and protect, so drawing attention to your good deeds is just par for the course. But I've seen numerous examples close to me that just make me smile. The goalie for my alma mater's hockey team set up a foundation and basically adopts a kid every season with severe illness and surprises him at school with signed gear, visits, tickets to games, everything over the course of a year. He did it for a good season and a half before the media got hold of it and made it a story. The coverage helped get more funding, but still, the selfless sentiment and taking advantage of your role for good is admirable. Similarly, I'm a big Chicago Bears fan, and Jay Cutler, despite my respect for his talents and role as my team's QB, is kind of a jerk and curmudgeon publicly. But I've heard from Multiple people that he is a pretty frequent visitor to children's hospitals in Chicago, without fanfare, and has done alot of pretty awesome things in that area. Now listen, he may still be a jackass and treat some people like shit cause he hates the attention, but when the chips are down, I respect his actions speaking louder than words.
One of the people I admire most is Mr. Rogers. Say what you want about religion, but if anyone walked the walk it was him. Aside from that, he was probably one of the truly nicest people ever and I'm forever grateful my mom took me to meet him when I was 8. I still remember the experience and the warm kindness he showed me. Take a look at his acceptance speech from the Emmys:
I can second Mr. Rogers - the coolest I read was him basically playing therapist on the set to his coworkers who'd mock him otherwise, through the guise of puppets <a class="postlink" href="http://www.authorsden.com/visit/viewshortstory.asp?id=9402" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.authorsden.com/visit/viewsho ... sp?id=9402</a>
On Wednesday I saw a motorcyclist who was a vehicle ahead and to the right of me on the road dump his bike. I pulled over to call for an ambulance, and as I sat there talking to dispatch, probably half a dozen people got out to help. One woman had her daughter in the car with her, probably about 5 years old. When the woman got out, her daughter got out too, and handed the injured biker the teddy bear she was carrying. She gave him the bear, pushed it in toward his chest, and pretty much forced him to wrap his arms around it for a cuddle. I had to stay and wait for the ambulance to arrive, and damned if he didn't squeeze that bear for all he was worth. I got a little damp eyed, I won't lie.
Some of Improv Everywhere's bits really restore my faith in humanity for the way they can bring joy and humor to ordinary situations: Also, this guy.
Everyday gives me hope. I believe most people are inherently good. While most of us are distracted by our own lives, to the point of selfishness (myself very much included), given a clear choice between doing the right thing and the wrong thing, the overwhelming majority of people will do the right thing - even without any gain to themselves. I also believe that most people are pretty smart, and when they're not distracted by their own lives, will go the extra mile for a stranger if it is clear they are in need of help. What anger I have at people are those that are in positions of power that use that power to further their own selfish ends at the expense of others. And know precisely that this is what they are doing. My experience tells me that this is a very small part of humanity. For that, I'm thankful and hopeful about the future, whatever it may bring. But I'd like to see less exploitation of the bad position of others overall, and more importantly, do more about it.
Look how empty this thread is, I guess we're all just a bunch of jaded motherfuckers. Hope- When someone gives up their seat on the subway for someone who really needs it. It's a little sad that it happens so rarely, but I saw a kid I'd pegged as a thug do it today. This small act of kindness drop kicked it's way through race, generation and gender, and put a big ole grin on my face. Not everyone sucks. Not everyone sucks all the time.
Focus: A few years ago my friend's mom was headed home from a Colorado Avalanche game with her friend when she got a flat tire. A few minutes later a car pulled up behind her. Out of the car steps "Super" Joe Sakic who then changed her flat after playing in the game she had just watched. Also, some of you may have heard about Jack Jablonski, the 16 year old Minnesota hockey player who was paralyzed in December. From everything I've read and heard, the hockey community has been awesome to him and his family. Many NHL players have visited him and donated money to his fund. http://www.jabby13.com Spoiler
<a class="postlink" href="http://goodmenproject.com/featured-content/why-i-love-weird-porn/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://goodmenproject.com/featured-cont ... eird-porn/</a> "These things, these kinks, these flights of imagination, are the impassioned obsessions of real people, everyday people. At least one of your coworkers, at least one of your family members. And that’s not creepy, that’s wonderful. Every one of those weird kinks is a shout of human individuality in a world that wants to reduce us down to buying patterns and demographic trends. “I am alive!” they cry. “I am not an emerging new style, I am not a market segment, I am not co-optable, I am not coming soon to a theater near you, I am not approved for all audiences, I am not available in stores, I am damn sure not fun for the whole family and I never will be.” Maybe you don’t find that life-affirming, but I sure do."
Resurrecting this thread for a quick WEHT: Caine has continued to make friends and wow people all over, but a couple of days ago his dad had a massive heart attack/surgery. Check out this photo in the hospital....I look at the expression on his 9 y.o. face and it not only gives me hope, I know everything will be ok: <a class="postlink" href="https://instagr.am/p/KjatX-SbPn/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">https://instagr.am/p/KjatX-SbPn/</a> And high five to all the Dads out there today!