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Joy

10 things that made us smile this week

Upworthy's weekly roundup of joy.

Upworthy/Instagram (Via lunaanddiogi on Tiktok), Music Crowns/Facebook

Looking for a reason to smile? Look no further.

Hey there, fellow passengers on this thrill ride!

Are we having fun yet? I don't know about you, but I keep finding myself wanting to yell, "SOMEBODY STOP THIS THING—I WANNA GET OFF!" All of these ups and downs and roundy rounds are making me queasy, I gotta tell you. And that last drop was a doozy.

While we're wondering what lies on the other side of the next climb or around the next corner, let's close our eyes and take stock of what else is happening. Smell the buttered popcorn and funnel cakes in the air. Feel the warm sun on our face and wind in our hair. Be grateful for the friend in the seat beside us, holding our hand as we scream on the descents and laugh on the straightaways.

We can't control or predict everything. But we can choose to find some good amid the chaos.

If you're struggling with the ride and having a hard time finding the good in the moment, this list won't fix everything. But maybe it'll give you a little reprieve and bring a smile to your face a few times. And maybe, for now, that's enough.

May we all be as jaunty and jovial in our later years as this awesome auntie.

See on Instagram

I want to be her when I grow up.

The future of medicine is bright, indeed.

I went to discharge a toddler from the hospital and found a medical student in the room carefully bandaging her owl stuffy who had a \u201cbroken wing\u201d. He left the toddler clear \u201cstuffy care instructions\u201d and some stickers. \n\nThe future of medicine is bright
— Jessie Allan, MD (@Jessie Allan, MD) 1651182016

Aw. After the hell that healthcare workers have been through the past two years, it's lovely to see such a pure, sweet hope coming from the medical field.

Little boy sees his mom coming down the aisle and adorableness ensues.

See on Instagram

The way he looks for her and the way his face lights up when he sees her. A perfect walk down the aisle.

A boy in Kansas sent off a note attached to balloons. A man in Quebec found them.

Incredibly, Reid Habbert's bunch of balloons traveled more than 1,800 miles with a note attached asking whoever found them to contact him. Cree hunter David Longchap found them on the traditional lands of the Cree nation in Quebec, Canada, and a beautiful cultural exchange resulted. Read the full story here.

This boys' school marimba band is nothing but sheer joy.

How fun is that? Read the full story here.

Blue Jays fan caught a homer and immediately gave it to a young Yankees fan.

Blue Jays fans are the best. Judge hit a homer, Blue Jays fan caught it and without thinking gave the ball to the little kid who\u2019s a Yankees fan who was also wearing a Judge t-shirt. There are good people out there. #NextLevel #RepBXpic.twitter.com/oF9Ks41fqU
— Doc Naismith \uea00 (@Doc Naismith \uea00) 1651625502

Oh that kid's face. Talk about a moment to remember.

No idea who this guy is but he's amazing.

Timeline cleanserpic.twitter.com/63YDmRzrp1
— Roy Sholay\ud83c\uddf2\ud83c\uddfa (@Roy Sholay\ud83c\uddf2\ud83c\uddfa) 1651697419

If anyone knows who or where this is, please share. Totally made my day.

Kitten discovers a sun beam.

See on Instagram

I mean, it just doesn't get cuter than that. Kittens win, hands down.

Gamer's girlfriend surprises him with a visit from an online friend he's had for 10 years.

See on Instagram

Proof that "virtual" friendships can be real friendships. So sweet.

This chipmunk's reaction to tasting an almond for the first time.

*chipmunk #EditButton
— Buitengebieden (@Buitengebieden) 1651337592

May we all experience something this week that gives us such rapturous pause.

Hope those little bits of joy made you smile. Come back next week for another roundup!

From Your Site Articles

Michael Sheen explains why he decided to become a 'not-for-profit' Hollywood actor

commons.wikimedia.org

Welsh actor Michael Sheen.

It’s one thing to make it to the top. It’s another to help others up as well.

Michael Sheen has already gifted the world something really special. His long list of acting credits include some bona fide iconic characters. Even if you don’t recognize the name, you’ll know the face. Seriously, this guy has been in everything.

If Sheen’s incredible talent isn’t enough to make you love him, his compassion and generosity will certainly win you over. He recently revealed that he will no longer be earning profits from his acting work, and will use that money to support others.

“I’ve essentially turned myself into a social enterprise, a not-for-profit actor,” he explained in a recent interview with The Big Issue.

“I’ve realized in the last few years that I want to be one of those people who help other people the way so many people helped me…I’m at the stage of my life and career where I have a window of opportunity that will probably never be this good again. I’m able to get people in a room, I can open doors. I don’t want to look back and think, I could have done something with that platform. I could have done something with that money.”

Sheen is no stranger to lending his talents to a good cause. In addition to “The Passion,” his now famous 72-hour immersive play, Sheen also teamed up with David Tennant (his co-star from Neil Gaiman’s "Good Omens") to film "Staged," a British comedy Zoom series created during the pandemic.

There is a hilarious episode that was filmed for Red Nose Day, a campaign to help end child poverty. You can watch it below.

I hope seeing an aggravated Marlowe (Sheen) get one-upped by Shakespeare (Tennant) tickles you as much as it did me.

This time, Sheen is focusing his efforts to support the Homeless World Cup Foundation. According to its website, the foundation uses football to encourage those who are homeless to change their lives, as well as challenge attitudes toward those experiencing homelessness.

The organization was struggling to fund its 2019 event. That’s when Sheen made an important decision.

“I realized I could do this kind of thing and, if I can keep earning money, it’s not going to ruin me,” he told The Big Issue.

Knowing that the event could be an “extraordinary, life changing experience” for people all over the world who needed it, Sheen became determined. So determined that he sold both his homes, one in the U.K. and one in the U.S., to make it happen.

And in that moment of giving, Sheen gained a new perspective.

“There was something quite liberating about going, alright, I’ll put large amounts of money into this or that, because I’ll be able to earn it back again,” he shared.

The “not-for-profit” actor’s first film to be entirely dedicated to charity will be “Last Train to Christmas,” which premieres December 18. I don’t know what makes me happier: Michael Sheen’s big heart or his huge mullet in the role.

Either way, he’s great at giving us something to smile about.

From Your Site Articles

10 things that made us smile this week

@getthebagcoach/Twitter, @buitengebieden/Twitter, @upworthy/Instagram

Need a break from the doom and gloom headlines? Of course you do. We all do.

Here's this week's round-up of fun, joyful, uplifting things to bring some peace to your heart and a smile to your face.

1. This mom sent a photocopy of her phone in the mail, which prompted a flood of endearing tech fail stories.

It's hard to call these stories "tech fails" when they're so fabulous. They're more like time capsule stories that remind us of the incredible advances our elders have seen during their lifetimes. Read them here.

Today I received in the mail a letter from my mom. It was a photocopy of her phone-she wanted to share a picture that is on her phone with me. A picture that is on her phone. She photocopied her phone and mailed this to me.pic.twitter.com/aOFpPuv5Sp
— Marti Woolford (@Marti Woolford) 1632522207

2. A mom turning 50 next month shows off the skateboarding skills she's worked on for the past nine years.

How many people pick up a sport like skateboarding in their 40s? This is just awesome. Go, mama, go.

See on Instagram

3. You think it's just a baby goat noshing on some berries, but then you see its companion.

Why? No idea. Totally unexpected, and totally adorable.

This will brighten your day.. \n\nSound onpic.twitter.com/OvOR4GvubR
— Buitengebieden (@Buitengebieden) 1632762393

4. This fussy baby lights up at hearing Rick James, and who can blame her really?

"My daughter has an out-of-control obsession with Rick James," says the caption. Look at her face when he starts singing!

I\u2019m crying at this..... That baby loves her some Rick Jamespic.twitter.com/iGEtBuR7V3
— Maybe: Jacoby (@Maybe: Jacoby) 1632506863

5. Kids and music are always a winning combo. These second graders dancing just proves it.

Dance is one of the most instinctual forms of artistic expression, and kids dancing is just too delightful.

I love telling kids to dance because they gone do whatever and you get to see their personality shine it\u2019s the 4th student for me he was too smoothpic.twitter.com/nyfW0mSJSc
— Live. Laugh. Love (@Live. Laugh. Love) 1632938735

6. Old folks dancing is pretty delightful, too.

May we all have this much joyful energy this late in life.

See on Instagram

7. A new insulin that doesn't need refrigeration is a game-changer for people with diabetes.

Diabetics have to figure out how to keep their insulin cold when they're away from home, which is a pain when traveling and a hindrance to many activities. Yay for scientists coming up with thermostable insulin. Read the story here.

assets.rebelmouse.io

8. Supermarkets in the Netherlands are adding "chat checkouts" for lonely people.

Seniors in particular can often feel isolated, so grocers in the Netherlands have created slower checkout lanes geared toward the elderly to combat loneliness. Clerks are encouraged to take time to talk with their customers, rather than get them through the line as quickly as possible. How sweet is that? Read about the initiative here.

cdn.upworthy.com

9. Rainbows are actually full circles and my mind is blown in the best way.

No need to look for the pot of gold at the end of a rainbow, because there is no end. Because rainbows are circles. I REPEAT, RAINBOWS ARE CIRCLES. I had no idea, and this video is amazing.

Rainbows are actually... circles \n\nThe centre is directly opposite the position of the sun in the sky, this is called the antisolar point \n\nA full circle is visible from a higher vantage point, usually a plane and is sometimes called a \u2018glory\u2019 ...but 1/pic.twitter.com/j47Y3rlF7P
— Science girl (@Science girl) 1632845185

10. If you're still searching for some zen, these dolphins ought to do it.

Gorgeous blue water? Check. Dolphins playing in the surf? Check. Rainbow? Check. All is well.

Dolphins riding a wave.. pic.twitter.com/jzCDChfAUu
— Buitengebieden (@Buitengebieden) 1632946083

Hope that gave you the mood boost you needed! There truly is so much joy and beauty in our world. We just have to remember to look for it and share it with others when we find it.

From Your Site Articles

uplfiting

10 things that made us smile this week

Upworthy's weekly roundup of joy.

May we all be as jaunty and jovial in our later years as this awesome auntie.

The future of medicine is bright, indeed.

Little boy sees his mom coming down the aisle and adorableness ensues.

A boy in Kansas sent off a note attached to balloons. A man in Quebec found them.

This boys' school marimba band is nothing but sheer joy.

Blue Jays fan caught a homer and immediately gave it to a young Yankees fan.

No idea who this guy is but he's amazing.

Kitten discovers a sun beam.

Gamer's girlfriend surprises him with a visit from an online friend he's had for 10 years.

This chipmunk's reaction to tasting an almond for the first time.

10 things that made us smile this week

1. This mom sent a photocopy of her phone in the mail, which prompted a flood of endearing tech fail stories.

2. A mom turning 50 next month shows off the skateboarding skills she's worked on for the past nine years.

3. You think it's just a baby goat noshing on some berries, but then you see its companion.

4. This fussy baby lights up at hearing Rick James, and who can blame her really?

5. Kids and music are always a winning combo. These second graders dancing just proves it.

6. Old folks dancing is pretty delightful, too.

7. A new insulin that doesn't need refrigeration is a game-changer for people with diabetes.

8. Supermarkets in the Netherlands are adding "chat checkouts" for lonely people.

9. Rainbows are actually full circles and my mind is blown in the best way.

10. If you're still searching for some zen, these dolphins ought to do it.

Astronaut shares the profound 'big lie' he realized after seeing the Earth from space

Psychologist shares 15-second trick to make kids of any age less rude and more cooperative

A story about two pairs of boots illustrates how rich people get richer in ways poor people can't

She got a nasty note on her car for parking in a disabled spot. Her response is a vital read.

Researchers studied kindergarteners' behavior and followed up 19 years later. Here are the findings.

Longevity test: If you can hang from a bar this long, you’re likely to live longer