From the Good News Network

Good Morning, All!  Hope you're stuffed to the gunnels with turkey and thankfulness.  Recently read an article about being mindful.  Like a lot of words we presume the meanings of by how they're used, I always thought it meant simply 'aware.'  But, it's more than that.  It means to be in the moment  with all hope and faith.  Dismiss the past, don't worry about the future, but be present to love and hope and do all the good you can today, and believe in the far-reaching goodness that will come from that.  Trickle-down love, so to speak.

I've gathered all this positive information from the Good News Network to help us march into the Christmas season armed with the knowledge that people are good, and ultimately, good will come from our having been here.


A blind husky named Isaac and his seeing-eye chihuahua friend, Isabella, were found wandering the streets of Fontana, CA.  No one was sure how they'd buddied-up, or how long they'd been homeless, but it was clear the chihuahua was helping her friend by calling to him to help him locate.  I wish I knew how to do photos because they're so precious - the big, beautiful husky and the little spunky chihuahua.  A good Samaritan took them to the STAND Foundation where staffers posted their photo on social media, and explained that they had to be adopted together, and that there was a time crunch.  So many animals in need, and time and space are critical.  A few days before their deadline, a generous soul adopted both of them and they're now happy and together somewhere in Southern California.  Talk about an HEA!

A waiter in Houston was chatting with a customer while serving his dinner.  The customer had just returned from Ireland where he's seen U2 perform.  The waiter mentioned he was from Ireland and was missing his family at holiday time.  The customer left him a $750. tip to help him get home for the holidays.  The spirit of  Bono!

A repo man was sent to repossess an older couple's 1998 Buick.  They'd fallen five payments behind because the husband's medication had doubled in cost over the past year.  The repo man started a GoFundMe account for them, made enough to pay off their car and have considerable cash left for other things.  The repo man's staff bought them a turkey.  Wow.

A family of farmers was grieving the loss of a four-year-old grandchild who'd had an accident on a piece of farm machinery.  It was harvest time and there were still 112 acres of wheat in the ground and the family remained inconsolable.  A friend of the family gathered all her farmer friends - 60 of them! - who appeared one morning at 10 a.m. with their equipment and were finished by 5:00.  Those who didn't have equipment, brought sandwiches and cookies to feed those working.  A week's worth of work was done in 7 hours by friends who cared and wanted to share and lighten their friends' grief.

A third grade teacher in Philadelphia is inspiring her students - and lots of people who've learned about her - by a simple call and response exercise.

"What if it's too hard?"

"I'm gonna push through!"

"What if it's too tough?"

"I'm gonna push through!"

"What if you're too young?"

"That ain't true!   I can do anything I put my mind to!"

She's beautiful and amazing,  her children are so cute, and they're going to be so strong!


Patagonia, the clothing and travel gear retailer, is donating 100% of its Black Friday sales to environmental groups!

GoFundMe, the largest social fundraising platform,  is saying thank you to all of us by donating $100,000 a month to their Give Back program.

And - just to encourage you to do your best because you're going to be here a while - Americans are living longer  - current average life span is 78 years and 9 1/2 months.  Imagine all that Philadelphia teacher's kids will be able to do with their attitudes and all that time!

Wish you all an inspiring holiday season!  Group hug!