The news these days is often depressing at worst and frustrating at best. It’s easy to get caught up in the spin cycle and let it get us down.
Never fear… The News Blender has you covered. Once a week, we feature Something Good and, in return, all you have to do is tell us something good that has happened to you this week, something you are thankful for, a joke, a cute animal story, an inspiring tale of heroics, a Random Act of Kindness… SOMETHING good.
The theme this week is small things that mean a lot.
Our first example of Something Good is a post-election reminder of a bit harmony during the run-up to the Midterms. It happened during a contentious and hard fought Vermont state House seat race. Republican Zac Mayo and Democrat Lucy Rogers, between knocking on every one of the more than 2,000 doors in their district before election day, participated in a vigorous debate in the town library.
When they were done debating, they asked everyone to stay as they began to move tables aside and brought out their instruments. They proceeded to play a duet, he on guitar, her on cello, as they sang “Society” by Eddie Vedder, a song about a longing for a less competitive society.
CBS News reports that “there weren’t enough tissues to go around”. And, after the duet, there were houses with signs for both candidates in their yards.
The 23 year-old Lucy Rogers beat out 29 year-old Zac Mayo to win the seat by nearly 400 votes, 1,273 to 882, Stow Today reports, but I have a feeling Zac is one candidate who could genuinely congratulate his opponent on her victory. Their duet, while a small, sweet note in a noisy and ugly political world, is Something Good that everyone who witnessed it will remember for a long time.
Our second Something Good this week is Police Officer Alvarez of Benicia, California. KTVU reports Officer Alvarez made contact on October 29 with an elderly woman whose family was worried about her when they could not reach her by phone. The result of the welfare check was that the woman was fine and the officer made sure her family was able to contact her family.
This past week, Officer Alverez checked on the woman again. She is unable to leave her home, uses a wheelchair, and receives Meal on Wheels. The officer, feeling led to help her, purchased some groceries for her with his own money. He told KTVU that he bought her “Milk, eggs, oatmeal, cereal, Ritz crackers, cream of chicken soups, and a few other items.”
Again, a small gesture of generosity and compassion can mean so much to a person in need. Officer Alverez says the woman was “extremely thankful and surprised that I was willing to help her.” Kindness like this is definitely Something Good.
Finally, we have a great example of a small kindness that we all take for granted that means so much to the recipient.
Jason Schneidman gives haircuts to the homeless. He says that the men he helps have stories a lot like his own – he got clean and sober 13 years ago – and they just need a “helping hand to find their way back”. Jason also says, “if we all do a little, we can help out a lot.” He is right and he is practicing what he preaches.
Hat tip to Lenny, who shared this great story with me.
Now it’s your turn… Tell me Something Good.
