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She asked her Muslim neighbor about funeral customs, then left with an unexpected gift

This heartfelt video is reminding everyone about the beauty of sharing cultures.

@babybugz213/TikTok

No one would argue that the United States of America has felt…not so united lately. And the results of the 2024 election, distressing headlines about seemingly never-ending political divide, the very real possibility of hard won human rights being snatched away…it all adds to feelings of disillusionment. Not only in the ethos of the American Dream. But of humanity itself.

And yet, its times like these when it becomes more important than ever to seek out moments that suggest otherwise. Those real life acts of compassion, kindness, respect and generosity that help us believe, as a wise 13 fifteen year old once said, that “people are really good at heart.”

This is one of those stories.

In a video captured by a ring doorbell camera (the modern day gadget that gives us glimpses into the soul of humanity on the regular) we see an older white woman approaching her Muslim neighbor.

In case you’re anxious—this is not going to turn into a Karen moment.

Rather, the woman lets her neighbor know that she is going to a Muslim funeral, and is a bit daunted by wearing a headscarf to the ceremony. So she asks for instructions as to how to put it on appropriately.

A truly lovely interaction ensues, where the Muslim neighbor not only gives the woman a demonstration and encourages her to practice wrapping the scarf in real time, but lets the woman keep the item. The conversation ends with the neighbor telling the woman “you look beautiful.” No animosity. No politics. No battle of beliefs. Just two women of different walks of life connecting through kindness.

Watch:

It’s no wonder why this video has been going viral on multiple social media platforms. It’s giving people things to appreciate about a wide range of topics.

Check out some of the lovely comments below:

“Awww. And honestly, her generation don’t think to pull up a tutorial on YouTube, their instinct is to ask somebody that they know. This so genuine and wholesome ❤️”

“As a Muslim, I just knewwwwwwww and expected that she would say keep it. Palestinians are the same with keffiyehs and the hospitality is engrained in both the religion and culture.”

“Being open to being educated about one another is what starts beautiful relationships and understanding. We are all human just trying to make it through this life, on different paths but really, end up in the same place at the end 🌈”

“I wish more people would realize this. All the time on the internet and social media [and] they aren’t seeing real world. Just a small ugly portion that of course is going to be posted on the net to get views. Like Yelp, far more people are likely to post a negative review than to post a positive review imo. Also kindness starts in your communities. It can't happen at a global level without first starting at a small local level.”

“That is the most wholesome interaction I’ve seen between two people, that is beautiful.”

“More of this please.”

Lots of folks chimed in to say that this was the perfect example of what it truly means to be an American.

“This is the America that I was raised up believing. I was taught in school that America was a melting pot and that we all come together to make this country great. I just don't know how we got to where we are today.”

“This is the “melting pot” in full effect. THIS is what makes America beautiful. Learning & *embracing* (key word here) each other’s differences.”

“THIS IS AMERICA. This is when America is great.”

Of course, it’s not like this everywhere. But these moments do happen more often than the news or the internet would have us believe. Times are tough right now—but there is always goodness to be found. And searching for it is just one small way we fight to create a better world.









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Joy

Man challenges 'new neighbor' to a Nerf gun war, and their battles are so wholesome

Now that's a creative way to get to know your neighbors…

Photo by Kolby Milton on Unsplash

Challenge your neighbors to a Nerf duel and see what happens.

Moving into a new neighborhood or a new building can be daunting. Getting used to a new space, meeting new people, growing accustomed to the vibe or culture of the neighborhood—it can feel like a lot, especially if people don't reach out in a welcoming way.

But as a viral video on Reddit/MadeMeSmile shows, sometimes a warm welcome could actually be a war welcome…with Nerf guns, that is.

In footage from a Ring camera on the front door of an apartment, we see a man in the hallway holding a Nerf gun. He says, "I notice you just moved in. The guy that used to live here, him and I were big into Nerf."

He then holds up the Nerf gun, saying, "I'm gonna leave it. Don't feel any pressure, but if you want to, hey." Then he laughs as he sets the gun down in front of the door.

After that, we see the across-the-hall neighbors engaging in ambush, trickery, deceit, semi-breaking-and-entering—with the help of "Jack," whoever that is—and all manner of silly antics in their battles to shoot one another first.

It's adorable, delightful and a great example of how someone might reach out to a new neighbor in a creative way and see what happens. Watch:

🥹
byu/ihavestandardsman inMadeMeSmile

As some folks in the comments clarified, these videos were acted out by two guys who are already friends and who pretend to meet in all sorts of unique ways. But the idea of introducing yourself to a new neighbor this way is a solid one, regardless.

People loved seeing the battles raging in the hallway.

"'Jack let me in' was my favorite part. Props to Jack, whoever he is," wrote one commenter.

"For a second he thought that things went too far. How the hell you get in my apartment you stalker!!!

Oh Jack let you in. Not fair," wrote another.

"Turncoat! I’d be sleeping with that nerf gun close to my chest," shared another. "Honestly though my favorite was 'did you really think that was gonna work?'…. 'Maybe.'"

Let's use this entertaining video as inspiration to go out and meet our own neighbors if we haven't already…and maybe take a Nerf gun with us, just in case.

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Joy

Couple's elderly neighbors couldn't attend their wedding, so they 'married' them at home

The two women held the sweetest, most hilarious "wedding" for Dave and Elena in their apartment.

@elenawonders/Instagram

Terri and Jean threw a private "wedding" for Elena and Dave.

When Elena and Dave moved into their apartment in northern Manhattan in January of 2023, they had no idea their new neighbor would be the one to officiate their wedding—sort of.

Terri, the neighbor, introduced herself to the Dave and Elena right away, and they immediately thought she was a character.

"We started visiting her and the older woman, Jean, she takes care of and lives with—they love our dog," Elena tells Upworthy. "Dave would sometimes cook them dinner, and we would eat together. Jean, who is 86, calls us her grandma. Both have lived in the neighborhood for decades—Jean since the '80s and Terri her whole life."

When the time came for the young couple to get married, Terri and Jean were all about it.

"They loved talking about our upcoming wedding and paid attention to every single part of the planning process, from the dress to the first dance," says Elena.

However, Jean has mobility issues that made it impossible for the women to attend the wedding. So instead, they threw a private marriage ceremony for the couple in their apartment. Terri and Jean decorated from "the 99 cent store" as Terri calls it. They played all the different roles in the wedding, and it's an absolute riot.

Watch the video Elena shared on Instagram:

From Terri playing the father, officiant and bouquet-catcher to Jean's a capella serenade for them to dance to, it was a perfect "wedding."

"It was lots of fun and definitely got us ready for our 'real' wedding two weeks later," says Elena. "We dressed up, read vows, laughed throughout the ceremony and had pizza all together."

Clearly, their getting married meant a lot to Terri and Jean, and the fact that they figured out a way to be a part of it is so heartwarming.


"The experience definitely showed me that weddings are NOT about the money you spend but the feeling behind it and the people who are present," says Elena. "These two women were so supportive of our relationship and we felt surrounded by pure love. There were no expectations and hurt feelings and complications like in our real wedding—just simple awesomeness."

"Whoever said New Yorkers were unfriendly have never lived here!" she adds.

Commenters agreed.

"Everybody shits on the big city but I’ve seen more heart and neighborliness in NYC in the last 9 years than anywhere else I’ve ever lived 😍 this is adorable and SO New York," wrote one person.

"Our Brooklyn neighbors became our bonus grandparents," shared another. "We would cook for each other and shared many COVID holidays together when traveling to be with family wasn’t safe. They’re the best 🥹"

Others just adored everything about it.

"This is the most loving, wholesome thing I’ve seen in ages," wrote one person. "Brings me back to my 'aunt' Rose, the elderly lady who lived next door. She would have me to over parties and tea and it was a magnificent existence."

"This might be the most precious thing I’ve seen in my entire life," wrote another.

"THIS was the wedding. Anything after was a bonus celebration of love," shared another.

man and woman in wedding clothes sitting on a sofa

Dave and Elena, united in neighborly matrimony.

Courtesy of Elena Nicolaou

Here's to the kindness of neighbors, to Elena and Dave's union, and to these two precious ladies who are so delightfully full of life and love.

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Joy

Man has the kindest reaction to an elderly neighbor complaining about his Christmas lights

It became a beautiful display of compassion.

@misterdenali69/TikTok

Kindness is magic.

Christmas is often a time when we try to dig a little deeper to be kind, generous, compassionate, grateful…all the things that make humanity worthwhile.

But having that holiday spirit isn’t always easy when in the middle of conflict. Let’s face it—when someone isn’t kind to us, the hardest thing to do is come back with the best version of ourselves. A special time of the year isn’t going to change that.

And yet, it’s much easier to retain this wisdom when we see it in action elsewhere. Which is why a certain video is making the rounds on TikTok and inspiring others to, as the saying goes, be the change they want to see in the world.

In a now-viral clip shared by several accounts online, we see a man speaking with his neighbor, an elderly woman, on the his porch.

The conversation, all caught on the man’s football camera, appeared to be a confrontation as the elderly woman had come to raise her concerns over the man’s rope Christmas lights, which she claimed were keeping her up at night.

“We went through this before, sweetheart,” the man said in the clip, reminding her that the police came by previously and determined that the lights couldn’t be shining through her bedroom window and causing any disturbance.

Indeed, they had gone head-to-head regarding the Christmas lights before. A previous video showed the woman knocking on his door at 1:30 am to complain about them, resulting in the man saying he would call the cops. The interaction didn’t go much farther than that, but it certainly wasn’t a smooth one.

Many noted that the woman could have been dealing with dementia, which would explain her forgetting any previous encounters.

It’s easy to see how this second altercation could have quickly escalated into something ugly, but instead, the man promised to have lights off by 10 pm at the woman’s request. No sarcasm or passive aggressive tone—just 100% kindness.

And then, the man surmised that this woman didn’t come over to discuss Christmas lights at all. What she was really after was companionship.

@mrdenali69

A true gentleman she’s probably dealing with demntia or something. Im glad he wasn’t mean to her.

♬ original sound - mrdenali

“I think you just need to come over when you’re lonely,” he said, offering for her to come over anytime she feels lonely to have some food, wine and a chat.

Completely taken by surprise, the woman’s hand rushed to her cheeks, and she began apologizing again. But her neighbor simply laughed it off, reassuring her that all was well.

Perhaps the man was right. The holidays can be a lonely time for anyone, but it can hit especially hard for seniors. A survey carried out by AARP in 2017 found that 28 percent of U.S. adults ages 50 and older reported feeling lonely during a holiday season. And that was before a worldwide pandemic.

So maybe this woman saw those Christmas lights, a bittersweet reminder of what she might be missing out on, and was hit with an inexorable yearning for connection without even being aware of her own pain. Who knows.

One thing is for sure—his compassion completely changed the situation, and maybe even their relationship. It’s a beautiful reminder of just how powerful kindness can be.

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