These stories of kindness and generosity will de-Grinch even the hardest of hearts
When it seems like the whole world has gone mad, we need reminders that people are generally good. That humanity trumps inhumanity. That kindness and generosity are the rule, not the exception. Naturally, anyone can point to stories of inhumanity and cruelty to negate such a positive worldview, but even in those stories, there are…
When it seems like the whole world has gone mad, we need reminders that people are generally good. That humanity trumps inhumanity. That kindness and generosity are the rule, not the exception.
Naturally, anyone can point to stories of inhumanity and cruelty to negate such a positive worldview, but even in those stories, there are almost always examples of people doing the right thing, the kind thing, the just thing. When we shift our gaze to the people doing good, we find oodles of them.
Writer Lauren Hough shared one such story on Twitter, and a veritable deluge of faith-boosting stories followed. Hough’s story alone was uplifting, but seeing example after example of ordinary people going out of their way to lend a helping hand to strangers, asking nothing in return, is enough to soften even the Grinch-iest of hearts.
“One register open. This lady couldn’t get her wic card to work and I shit you not, every single person in line behind her tried to pay the bill. Dude in front of me won. And pulled out an extra $100 to give her. In case you needed to know, a lot of people are actually alright.”
“No one even made a big deal about it. It was like they didn’t want witnesses,” she added in another tweet. “But I mean, it’s the shopping at midnight on a Monday crowd, mostly people who’ve been there.”
Then the stories, both from people who’ve been there and those who haven’t, poured in.
One woman wrote about how, when she was around nine, a woman bought her a lime green shimmer hat she’d been admiring but didn’t have the money for.
I grew up poor. Once, when I was around 9, I was admiring a lime green shimmer hat in the store (early 90s). Of course, no money. A few mins later, woman put the hat on my head, handed me the receipt, and said I looked great. It was incredible.— Foucault’s bff (@foucault_s) December 17, 2019
While a former Dollar General employee wrote about how a kid’s card wasn’t working one day, so the guy in line behind him paid for it.
I worked at a Dollar General when a young kid came in and his WIC card didn’t work when he tried to buy milk. The guy in line behind him paid. #FaithInHumanity
— Urgle Burgle (@Urgle__Burgle) December 17, 2019
Indeed, those who have been through periods of poverty are often the first to help others because they know how it feels to be in their shoes.
I’m a graveyard shift cashier in a rough part of town. Yet, every night people leave their change and say, “Pass it on,” which is our way of saying, “Pay it forward.”
Most of those who pass it on are homeless or addicts, and an occasional drunk… because they’ve been there.
— Terry Varga Φ (@Dateofey) December 17, 2019
I rang the Salvation Army bell in my hometown for several years at Christmas time, and I knew almost everyone who gave. And the ones who gave the most were the ones I knew could afford it the least.
— M Hamilton (@HamiltonMelissa) December 17, 2019
Several people shared pharmacy stories of both customers and pharmacists themselves helping pay for people’s medicine.
I once started to cry when insurance denied me my anti-depressant, both out of frustration & fear of the cold turkey withdrawal. Pharmacist handed me a bottle of 5 pills for free and said “do no harm!” I’ll never forget him. His kindness bought me 5 days to deal with insurance— ky ky (@girl__kyle) December 17, 2019
I work in a pharmacy and a lady last week gave us $50 and said, "Use it to pay for someone's prescription who needs it." We were able to use it later that day to help a patient whose old insurance had been terminated and new insurance wasn't active yet. Made my day!— janel (@janellie57) December 17, 2019
An elderly lady at the pharmacy and had left her wallet at home. It was clear it was hard for her to get to the back of the store; she was in pain. I bought her meds. The pharmacist told me I was the third person that day who bought meds for someone. People are basically good.— Dot, PhD (@ceep29) December 18, 2019
Another person shared how a couple of police officers buy food for homeless people, even asking the person to make sure they “pick good ones.”
“Everybody counts, or nobody does,” they added, which seems to sum up the sentiment in the entire thread.
I work at a food shop two days a week, and there are a couple of cops who come in to buy slices for some homeless people. What’s even cooler is that they ask me to make sure I pick good ones. I love those guys. Everybody counts, or nobody does.
— M Hamilton (@HamiltonMelissa) December 17, 2019
And another person shared how a stranger stuck up for them when someone was criticizing them for being on public benefits.
Once upon a time I was on benefits and someone started chewing me out for “spending their tax dollars” when someone else stepped in and said, “They’re not spending your tax dollars, they’re spending mine, and with my blessing.”
I’ve paid that forward, for sure.
— Jenrose (@jenrose) December 17, 2019
How about this teenage boy buying flowers and cake to surprise his mom? “His debit card wouldn’t work,” wrote Aloysius Olberding. “Mind did.”
There was a teenage boy in my line who was buying roses and a cake to surprise his mom when she got home from work. His debit card wouldn’t work. Mine did.
— Aloysius Olberding (@foraloysiussake) December 17, 2019
Another user shared how a homeless man asked if he could buy her husband’s coat, and he gave it to the man instead. That story inspired another person to load up their car with old coats to give away.
You just gave me the idea to load up my car with some old coats I no longer wear so that I can pass them out to people who need them on the street.
— Pallas Tweet (@PallasTweet) December 17, 2019
Even those who appear to be Grinches can surprise us, as this story of a scowling man paying for someone’s lunch without a word shows.
I've had many random acts of kindness bestowed upon me. I try to help others as much as possible. One favorite. We had lunch at a nice restaurant. I smiled at a grouch as we were seated. He scrowled back at me. We finished lunch our bill was paid by grouch who had left. No words.— Deb K. Mason (@Scorpio_57) December 17, 2019
When we’re going through a difficult time, random acts of kindness can feel particularly reassuring. These two people had lost a parent and had strangers pay for their meals. “Everything felt alright, even if just for a moment,” one wrote.
When my mom died, we drove from VA to OK in late December w/our 6 kids. We stopped at a Waffle House on I-40. I was worried about how to pay for everything (trip, funeral, etc). A stranger paid for our meal. I wish I could hug that person. It was something my mom would have done.— Dee (@DeeCeeTalks) December 17, 2019
Though generosity means not expecting anything in return, sometimes karma steps in and rewards people anyway. One person shared how their significant other used $200 he’d saved for a tool to buy groceries for a mom and three kids in need. A few days later, the tool he’d wanted fell out of a truck in front of him, and no one ever claimed it.
A few days later we were at a stop light when a trailer went by and bounced hard going too fast. The very tool he wanted make & model literally landed in front of our truck.
He put up a notice. No one ever claimed it. #Karma— Liberally Thinking (@libthinking) December 17, 2019
But the real beauty of generosity and kindness are how they get paid forward. It’s like a perpetual chain of goodness that just keeps going and going and going.
A dad and his young kids were in front of me the other day and didn’t have enough to cover their bill. I paid their tab. Later, I was buying beer and my card wasn’t working. The person behind me bought my beer.
From Pakistan to Tanzania, the most effective education solutions are community-led. Here’s how local leaders, in partnership with Malala Fund and supported by Pura, are mobilizing entire communities.
When asked to describe what Tanzania smells like, Grace Isekore closes her eyes and breathes in deep. For a moment, she’s somewhere else entirely. Tanzania is a rich tapestry of sights and scents, from the smell of sea mist that permeates the coastline to the earthy cardamom and cloves she cooks with in her kitchen. But when Grace emerges from her reverie, her answer is unexpected.
“Tanzania smells like peace,” she says, her eyes still closed. “I see a beautiful country where we are free to move, free to speak. And there is peace within the community.”
For Grace, that sense of peace isn’t just something she smells; it’s something she works toward every day. As a project coordinator with Pastoral Women’s Council (PWC), a women-led organization that empowers pastoralist communities in northern Tanzania, she has seen firsthand how girls flourish when they have the opportunity to attend school. Like scent, education not only connects girls to their own culture, but also helps broaden their horizons, realizing new possibilities for themselves and others. That transformation reshapes entire communities and ripples outward, with the potential to change countries and transform the world for the better.
Different scents, different approaches, and communities driving change
Spices in Tanzania. Captured by James Roh for Pura
For Grace and others around the world, education is freedom, as well as a pathway to a stronger community. Rooted in that shared belief, Pura, a home fragrance company, was inspired to build on their four-year partnership with Malala Fund to create something truly unique: a fragrance collection that connects people through scent to communities in Tanzania, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Brazil, where barriers to girls’ education are among the highest.
Using ingredients from each region, the new Pura x Malala Fund Collection uses scent to transport people to these regions directly. “Future in Bloom,” for example, invokes Pakistan’s lush valleys through notes of jasmine, cedarwood, and mango; while Tanzania’s fragrance, “Heart on Fire,” evokes the spirit and joyfulness of the girls who live there through cardamom, lemon, and green tea.
The new Collection honors the work Malala Fund does every day, partnering with locally-led organizations in these four countries to ensure every girl can access and complete 12 years of education. Each scent celebrates the joy, tenacity, and courage of the women and girls driving change on the ground, while also augmenting Pura’s annual grant to Malala Fund by donating eight percent of net revenue from the Pura x Malala Fund Collection to Malala Fund directly.
Just as each country’s scent is unique, so too are their needs related to education. But with support from Malala Fund and Pura, local leaders are coming up with creative ways to mobilize entire communities (parents, teachers, elders, and the students themselves, in their pursuit of solutions, understanding that educating girls helps everyone thrive. Here’s how their efforts are creating real, durable impact in Tanzania and Pakistan, and creating a ripple effect that changes the world for the better.
Parent-teacher associations help Maasai girls and their communities in Tanzania problem-solve
A girl’s school in Tanzania. Captured by James Roh for Pura
Northern Tanzania, Grace’s home, is home to pastoralist communities like the Maasai, a nomadic people who have moved with the seasons to nurture the land and care for their livestock for centuries. The nomadic nature of this lifestyle creates significant and unique barriers to girls’ education. Longstanding gender roles have enabled Maasai to survive in the harsh environment and have placed great value on both women and men. Over time, as nomadic life has been threatened by the privatization of land and stationary education models have been implemented, the reality of pastoralist livelihood has shifted and introduced new complexities. Now, the sheer distance to schools is both a practical challenge and one that often comes with danger from the landscape, predators, and potential exposure to assault along the journey. Girls shoulder the responsibility of household chores and there is often cultural pressure around early marriage – both leading to boys’ education being prioritized over girls’.
“There are very, very good [pastoralist] cultural practices, which are passed from generation to generation,” says Janet Kimori, an English teacher at Lekule Girls Secondary School in Longido, Tanzania. But when cultural practices act as educational barriers, “you have to sit down and look for where you are going to assist. As a school, as an individual, the school administration—all of us will chip in and know how we are going to deal with this problem.”
PWC works to ensure girls are able to exercise their right to an education while also preserving pastoralist culture. One successful approach, the organization found, has been the formation of Parent Teacher Associations (PTAs), created with help from Malala Fund. In PTA meetings, students, parents, teachers, elders, and government officials meet, discuss educational barriers, and come up with community-led solutions that preserve and honor their culture while advancing educational outcomes.
PTA meeting in Tanzania. Captured by James Roh for Pura
One recent PTA meeting highlights how these community-led solutions are often the most effective. At Lekule Girls Secondary School, the lack of fresh water forces girls to walk long distances to collect water for the school’s kitchen during the school day, and these long journeys not only disrupt class time but can leave girls vulnerable to sexual assault in isolated areas. Through facilitated discussion, PTA members landed on a solution: installing a borehole to pipe in fresh water to the school. Reliable access to water creates a better learning environment for the girls, but it also benefits the community at large, as local governments are then more likely to invest in health clinics and other community resources nearby.
With a solution in place, the PTA was then able to discuss ideas and map out a course of action. The women would raise money for the cost of the borehole, while the men would recruit workers to dig the hole and lay the pipe. Together, they would ask government officials to match their investment.
The benefits of PTA meetings within the pastoralist communities are undeniable. “The girls are talking and addressing issues in a confident way, and parents feel they are part of the resource team to solve challenges happening at school,” Grace says. One unexpected benefit: The larger cultural impact these PTA meetings have created. Thanks to the success of PTAs within pastoralist communities, the models are now being endorsed on a national level, and schools across Tanzania are starting to use them to solve problems in their own communities. When a community creates opportunities for girls to learn, everyone benefits.
Safe spaces in rural Pakistan help students and their parents connect, then drive change
Safe space for girls meeting in Pakistan. Captured by Insiya Syed.
A continent away in Pakistan, the country’s northernmost region of Gilgit-Baltistan seems like a land untouched by time. The region’s looming mountains, snow-capped peaks, lush valleys and crystalline lakes draw nature lovers and landscape photographers from around the world, but living among this kind of breathtaking scenery has its drawbacks. Schools in the region are few and far between, and the area’s harsh climate often makes roads inaccessible for travel. Poverty and gender-based discrimination are additional obstacles, making school even further out of reach, and girls are affected disproportionately. Going up against these barriers requires a persistent, quiet strength that’s found in the women who live there and reflected in Pakistan’s signature scent.
Saheli Circles are how local leaders in Gilgit-Baltistan are bridging the gap between girls and education. An Urdu term for “female friend,” Saheli Circles are after-school safe spaces where girls explore subjects like art and climate change, while also developing skills that help them manage emotions, set goals, and build positive relationships. Girls study in groups, visit the library, play sports, and tackle filmmaking and photography projects, all designed to develop self confidence and teach the girls how to advocate for issues that matter to them. But the work doesn’t stop there.
“What we’re trying to achieve here will only be impactful if it trickles down to the home environment and the school environment,” says Marvi Sumro, founder and program director of Innovate, Educate, and Inspire Pakistan (IEI), the local organization that developed the Saheli Circles model and partnered with Malala Fund in 2021 to make it a reality. Ever since, Saheli Circles have grown to involve teachers, elders, and parents to encourage relationship building that’s essential for young girls and adolescents. “Our spaces can give mothers and daughters an opportunity to interact a little differently—do an art activity, or have a cup of tea together, or some good conversation,” Marvi says.
The relationship building is what makes the biggest positive impact throughout the community. Recently, one Saheli Circle was able to bring together parents, teachers, and administrators to advocate for better education at their local school, and together they convinced the department of education to hire a science teacher. Another Saheli Circle organized a fund where members of the community can contribute monthly to pay for uniforms, books, and other school expenses for the girls in their village, eliminating those small, hidden costs that are often a barrier to education for many. A third Saheli Circle was able to produce a short film about how gender-based household chores can take away valuable study time from girls, leaving them at a disadvantage. “The girls put the film together and showed it to the mothers, and the response from the mothers was just beautiful,” Marvi says.
Girls smiling in Pakistan. Captured by Insiya Syed.
The education and relationship building that the girls receive in Saheli Circles connects them to larger opportunities and economic freedom that are not possible in their hometown. “For girls in Gilgit-Baltistan, education is extremely important because of the fact that we’re so far away from where the economy is, where the opportunity is. Education becomes this bridge for us, for our girls, to access all the opportunity and economy that exists in [larger cities].”
From rural Tanzania to remote Pakistan, local organizations prove every day that prioritizing girls’ education benefits everyone. Communities that lift up girls are able to secure resources like clean water and well-staffed schools, as well as build stronger relationships.
These outcomes are only possible because of the women and girls who work tirelessly in these regions to overcome barriers and drive progress. The Pura x Malala Fund Collection is a way to honor them, celebrate their achievements, and unite people the world over around a shared belief that education is freedom. Like scent, that belief can build, travel, and has the possibility to transform the world.
Experience the Pura x Malala Fund Collection here, and connect with the stories of real girls leading change across the globe.
“JAW.” Cute, simple, straightforward. You can take any movie with a plural “s” and just remove it for a tiny chuckle. “The Avenger.” “Star War.” “Heather.” But the best responses make you think for a minute before the light bulb goes on and the belly laugh hits:
“The Postman Rang Once The One Time He Stopped By.”
“I for Vendetta”
“Malcom I”
“Jumanjus.”
That last one is a perfect example of why people are loving the responses to this prompt. “Jumanji” isn’t even plural, but applying the rule that gives us cactus/cacti and octopus/octopi, we get “Jumanjus.” Cleverly hilarious.
Some adjustments are just so silly, you can’t help but laugh, like “Indiana Jone.” Many of them use animal groups (pride of lions, murder of crows, school of fish) that you have to decipher or stretch your logic to break down things we don’t think of as plural (wall to brick, wind to air molecule, corporation to sole proprietor). And “I for Vendetta” and “Malcolm I”? Perfect. (As one person said, we don’t have enough Roman numeral humor in the world.)
People loved seeing how creative others were in their responses:
“This thread is for the ‘pleasure to have in class’ kids only and I love it. 😂”
“Gods everyone is so much smarter than me. I’m just over here trying to think of titles ending in S.”
“I’ve never been more ok with everyone been smarter than me. 😂”
“I cannot read this thread while my partner is trying to sleep beside me. I am SHAKING the bed, laughing.”
Why do people find these depluralized titles so funny, though? Likely the same reason we delight in puns and spoonerisms. Wordplay tickles our brains and our funny bones.
As neuroscientist Dean Burnett shared with BBC Science Focus, “Humor is essentially our brain going ‘This isn’t how things usually work… but I’m okay with it!’”
Burnett explains that humor happens in our brains when there’s incongruity between what we expect to happen and what actually happens and we resolve that incongruity.
“Basically, thanks to these complex systems in our brains, humour can be derived from things being surprising, unexpected or wrong in some form, as long at it’s resolved, without negative consequences,” he writes.
That’s essentially what’s happening when we see a familiar movie title altered in a way that we don’t expect but that ultimately makes sense. Whatever the humor trigger, it’s so fun to have so many people enjoy some wordplay together.
When you think of mesh shirts and fishnet stockings, you might picture a goth,punk, or other brands of night club fashion. Most wouldn’t associate fishnet garments with hiking, skiing, or dogsledding.
But as Michael Kristy from The Iron Snail Clothing Co. explains, fishnets are the underwear of choice for many. In particular, Norwegians who want to enjoy the great outdoors in all temperatures wear them. It may seem counterintuitive to wear something holey to stay warm, but there’s a reason it works better than most base layers.
Kristy explains that Norwegians have been wearing fishnets under their clothes for over 100 years. And they’re not the only ones. The first people who summited Mt. Everest wore a fishnet layer under their clothing to stay warm.
Mesh undergarments were popular around the 1950s, but they weren’t called fishnets. They were called “health vests” or “string vests” and they were touted as being “recommended by medical professionals.”
What’s the big deal with mesh? It’s all about the air layer it creates. Wearing it under clothing serves as both an insulating layer and a moisture wicking layer.
“It really helps regulate your overall body temperature and makes you feel a lot more comfortable when you don’t have wet, clammy clothes sticking to you at all times,” says Kristy.
The Norwegian company Brynje manufactures mesh under layers and claims they are four to six times warmer than other base layers.
So under other clothing, the fishnet fabric keeps you warmer. But conversely, if you get too hot, stripping down to only the mesh layer will quickly cool you down.
In addition to plenty of punk/goth approvals, the comments included corroboration from Norwegians and others who have first-hand experience with the magic of mesh base layers:
“Norwegian here, and proud wearer of «netting» as we call it in the military!”
“Can confirm, most Norwegians (and neighbours) that do outdoors stuff use ullnetting/woolnet. It’s basically a cheatcode for staying warm, so I have a ton of these. The words fishnets or health/stringvests is never used. You can find very old farmers that use the word healthvest/helsetrøye, mostly people just call them ullnetting or netting if talking to outdoors people.”
“I’m a veteran. I did training with the Norwegian army on a base north of Norway. I had so many layers and was constantly freezing my ass off. I noticed the Norwegian army guys had these fishnets as their first layer. And asked em why they all had that. He told me it was to keep them warm. Luckily i have not been in that kind of cold since. But getting those fishnet layers has been on my mind since.”
Fishnet leggings add a surprising amount of warmth as an underlayer. Photo credit: Canva
“Our guide on a glacier tour in Norway had these and told me about them, so I decided to give them a go for a recent vacation to go figure skating on wild ice in northern Sweden. I wore these nets under a merino wool baselayer and a thick Norwegian wool sweater (plus an outer synthetic hard shell to keep out the wind) and it was fantastic. Spent all day outdoors at -20°C combining intense workouts with picnic breaks and never got cold thanks to my base layer always being dry. 11/10 would recommend, I haven’t shut up about these since then.”
“Yeah, it’s absolutely true too. I’m an avid outdoorsmen, so I’ve watched lots of tests on this. Fishnets outperform even the best wool base layers in absolutely every single category except for odor. Unless we’re talking niche applications there’s nothing better than the fishnets.”
“I’ve been wearing mesh shirts under my normal clothes for about a year now—and without knowing this was exactly what they were used for, I found it helped me keep cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Imagine my surprise when this video teaches me I’ve been continuing a longstanding Norwegian tradition as a necessity for working in a warehouse (and for punk fashion lol).”
With as many advancements as we’ve made, sometimes the traditional methods still work best.
In 1969, the Juggy Sound Studio in New York City was forever changed. It was that year and place that Led Zeppelin recorded (at least part of) their album Led Zeppelin II, with the song “Ramble On” its 7th track. The song, co-written by front man Robert Plant and guitarist Jimmy Page (who also produced the track), has remained a staple in their extraordinarily rocking catalogue for over half a century.
So when Robert Plant, at the ripe young age of 77, casually strolled onto the set of The Late show with Stephen Colbert and flawlessly belted out the song, fans sure noticed. Yes, his face has more wrinkles – time will do that to a person. But it’s time itself that made the lyrics to this particular song all the more meaningful.
“Like he wrote it this morning”
Guitar Gods Unleashed took to X to share the video, writing “’Ramble On’ is 56 years old, and Robert Plant just walked onto The Late Show and made it sound like he wrote it this morning.”
The comments are so fitting for such a powerhouse performance. One X-er notes that some rock stars age. But Robert Plant? “You see the aging rock star trying to replay their youth, then you have Robert Plant being Robert Plant, and it rivals the original from a half century ago. Just incredible.”
Lord of the Rings
Another points out the lyrics, which reference J.R.R. Tolkien’s popular book series turned movies, Lord of the Rings. “I like that ‘Ramble On’ has Lord of the Rings references from back when Robert was reading the book series. I had no idea what Lord of the Rings was back when I first became a fan of the song, but eventually I said, “wait…did he mention Gollum and Mordor?”
In a piece for Far Out Magazine, Jack Whatley discussed the fact that many bands are influenced by authors. “The singer used moments throughout the lyrics to express his connection; lines like ‘the darkest depths of Mordor’ and ‘Gollum and the evil one’ are both doffs of the caps to the writer. Many artists have made references to great literature in their time; whether it is The Beatles and C.S. Lewis’ influence on ‘I Am The Walrus’ or The Cure’s nod to Albert Camus.”
The lyrics
The lyrics are so hauntingly beautiful and even more impactful now that Plant is older.
“Leaves are fallin’ all around It’s time I was on my way Thanks to you, I’m much obliged For such a pleasant stay
But now it’s time for me to go The autumn moon lights my way For now, I smell the rain, and with it, pain And it’s headed my way
Ah, sometimes I grow so tired But I know I’ve got one thing I’ve got to do
Ramble on And now’s the time, the time is now Sing my song I’m goin’ ’round the world, I gotta find my girl
On my way I’ve been this way ten years to the day I’m gonna ramble on Gotta find the queen of all my dreams
Got no time for spreadin’ roots The time has come to be gone Though our health, we drank a thousand times It’s time to ramble on
Ramble on And now’s the time, the time is now Sing my song I’m goin’ ’round the world, I gotta find my girl
On my way I’ve been this way ten years to the day I’m gonna ramble on Gotta find the queen of all my dreams
I ain’t tellin’ no lie
Mine’s a tale that can’t be told My freedom I hold dear How years ago in days of old When magic filled the air
‘Twas in the darkest depths of Mordor I met a girl so fair But Gollum and the evil one Crept up and slipped away with her, her, her, her, her, yeah
And ain’t nothin’ I can do, no I guess I’ll keep on
Ramblin’, I’m gonna say Sing my song, I’ve gotta find my baby I’m gonna ramble on, sing my song Gonna work my way, gonna ramble on Gonna ramble on, yeah-yeah”
Another fan shares their thoughts on just how brilliant the performance was. “To craft a new arrangement of a rock classic – a completely new composition – centered around the limitations your aging 80-year-old voice… and create something still so artistic and beautiful… it’s why this man is on the shortest of short lists of the best front men of all time.”
A lot of things can go wrong at a wedding, but for Visha and Ankeet Shah, what went wrong was rather unique. During their wedding, a tornado forced them and their guests to leave an upper floor of the Oklahoma City Convention Center to take shelter downstairs. Nearly 400 wedding guests had to share the first floor with a junior volleyball tournament that was taking place. Thankfully, all that went wrong ended up so right as the players celebrated the couple.
Prior to the tornado sirens going off, the wedding reception was in the middle of dancing the Garba, a traditional Indian dance.
“I remember them saying, ‘We have an emergency! There’s a tornado watch happening, and we need to take shelter and go downstairs,’” Ankeet Shah, the groom, told People. “I thought it was a joke at first, but then it turned into a reality, and we headed downstairs.”
Bump, set, celebration
In under 15 minutes, the wedding attendees were downstairs at the courts where the volleyball players were stretching before their match-ups. As everyone sheltered in place, the players started to notice what was going on. Wedding guests and players started mingling, with some players taking photos with the happy couple.
You never know when unexpected bad news can create one of the most heartwarming moments imaginable. This is the story of how a tornado warning in OKC caused us to take Visha and Ankeet’s Garba in the volleyball gym, where we celebrated with some unexpected guests! Thank you so much to the ladies of the Lonestar Classic Volleyball Tournament, Oklahoma City Convention Center, the friends and family of our bride and groom, and of course, Visha and Ankeet for a weekend we will never forget! 🌪️💕 #okc#okcwedding#tornadowedding#foryoupage#indianwedding
“We started kind of chatting with one of the coaches, and before we knew it, the girls ran onto the court taking pics with the couple and started chanting and lifting them up,” said Sydney Ore, the Shah’s wedding planner.
One thing led to another, creating a lively party atmosphere. Players joined in with guests to celebrate, clapping and chanting the bride and groom’s names. A mass of happy volleyball players lifted them both up into the air to celebrate.
“The girls were basically singing with us, dancing with us. They made us feel like royalty,” Ankeet said to KOCO News 5.
Shelter in place turned party in place
The volleyball players soon helped recreate the Garba with the guests.
“There’s usually music playing around and folks singing around with it, as well, but we did a silence dance with it, as well, and we looked over and saw the volleyball girls across the net doing a silent dance with us, as well, and that was super fun and memorable,” said Visha Shah, the bride.
What could have ruined the day turned out to be a wedding celebration that was more memorable than expected. A community of kind strangers came together, refusing to let the weather ruin the wedding or the volleyball tournament’s good time.
“It was amazing. It was the kindness of strangers truly. My tears were sad in the beginning but then towards the end it was happy tears,” concluded Visha.
Chef Craig Bowerson had a wonderful idea. He had noticed that the residents in the nursing home where he oversaw the dining menu had quite a few complaints about the food. So, it dawned on him to let their own personal recipes do the talking. He asked them for their favorite homespun dishes, and what happened next was downright lovely.
In a TikTok video, food podcaster Owen Roy shared a clip of Bowerson explaining his program for getting recipes from the residents. He asked them questions like, “How did you make spaghetti? How did you make lasagna? How did you make your chicken Cordon Bleu?” There is clear emotion in his voice, as he expresses the importance of embracing and cooking the food that might make the residents feel the most at home.
Ultimate hospitality. Chef Craig Bowerson talks about how he personalized the menu at the nursing home he used to work at for the residents that lived there. He took their old recipes from their parents and built the food program around them. I think more nursing homes should follow suit! Episode 17 is out now on all major streaming platforms. #chef#nursinghome#food#menu#owenbytheoven
He shared, “As you’re pulling all these recipes from the 1920s, 1930s, I’ve had residents give me index cards that their mother had written like in the 1920s. They’d say, ‘These are all my mom’s recipes. Find one that you like. This is what my mom used to cook for me. I cooked this for family.’ So we ended up incorporating all of our resident recipes into our menu, where we were actually reproducing all the family recipes. And my complaints went from almost 75 percent to almost no complaints whatsoever.”
Under the clip, there were over 2,500 comments on TikTok alone. One person shares, “This is what dignity looks like.”
Another points out how incredibly thoughtful the idea is. “Can you imagine tasting your comfort food from childhood as an aging, reliant, invalid person? A time when you miss your mom the most. This is beautiful.”
And this TikToker, as many of the commenters do, believes this should be incorporated everywhere. “Every retirement home, nursing home, memory care home should do this. I bet it’s really comforting and brings back great memories for them. Beautiful idea.”
Chef Bowerson dreamt of becoming a chef
Upworthy had the opportunity to learn more about Bowerson, his love of food, and his admiration and respect for nursing home residents he serves. He also addressed a few of the questions that were repeatedly asked in the comment section.
Upworthy: What drew you to the art form of cooking?
Bowerson: “I have dreamed of being a chef since I was 6. My grandmother started cooking with me around then. Currently, I’ve worked in food service for 31 years, and would say maybe the last 14, I’d consider myself a chef.
Food has always made sense to me. I love food, I love to talk about food, think about food, and I love the emotions that food can create. When you’re sick, you want grandma’s soup, or during a holiday it doesn’t feel right without that one dish that gets passed on and passed down. Food, I think, has been the ultimate expression of appreciation for nature as the ingredient maker. And the eater, who is the person receiving from the chef, (gets) the full expression of themselves, presented in a dish.”
Upworthy: How and when did you begin working with nursing homes?
(Bowerson first explains it was trial and error when he first began working with nursing homes.)
Bowerson: “Covid hit and my focus shifted from having to deal with administrative duties to developing relationships with residents to help make the ‘lockdown’ period better. It was during this time that I started talking more one-on-one with residents and learning about their backgrounds. I found many of the women were homemakers and ran the house prior to coming to the nursing home. Many reminded me of my own grandmother, who initially was the first person to teach me how to cook.
Working for contract services, we had to follow menu plans and recipes that designated ingredient inventories and so on. Residents at my home felt like they were receiving someone’s idea of ‘showing off.’ They said the food they received was nothing like what they had made at home, and it was a hard adjustment for them to make. Long story short, I learned how to submit substitute recipes into our menu system to receive CDM and dietitian approval for facility use. Then, as we could, we would substitute previous menu items. Let’s say (we would sub) the company’s potato salad recipe, for Peggy Sue’s potato salad recipe and notate it on the menu.”
Sopapillas
Upworthy: Do you have a favorite recipe so far?
Bowerson: “One of my favorite recipes is only my favorite because of the story behind it. Sopapillas. I had a pair of residents who were from New Mexico and had been moved to Kansas. I used to have conversations about food with the wife. Her husband was not doing well at this point and was almost nonverbal. She used to tell me how much she missed sopapillas and green chili enchiladas. She gave me her favorite sopapilla recipe and said if I could make it for her sometime, she would enjoy that. At times her husband would wake up and could eat on occasion, so one day when I knew he was awake, I converted a food cart into a buffet line and made her enchiladas and her sopapillas. For the next few weeks, until his passing, he would wake up and request green chili and sopapillas.
A resident’s handwritten note, c/o Bowerson
I received a personal handwritten letter from her describing how much they enjoyed having their personally prepared upscale meal.”
Recipes and stories
Upworthy: Any plans to create a senior cookbook?
Bowerson: “I’ve had some people request one on social media. I have thought about collecting all the recipes, adding in copies of letters and notes I’ve received from residents, and stories on what made the recipe stand out to me. I hope I can follow through and put one together.”
Upworthy: My mom resides in a senior living home in Dallas, and I know she would just love giving recipes to the chef/cook. Have you encouraged others to do this?
Bowerson: “I have tried to champion this type of approach for some time. I actually designed a food service program that helps convert kitchens into a more ‘home design’ type menu. I submitted it to one company but don’t know of another way to submit it without it being lost in the shuffle of large corporations.”
I trained my cooks to look at food from a resident perspective and remember that a lot of those we serve feel like their choices are being lessened and restricted. And if giving them control of their menu, their food, and how it’s cooked helps with the transition, then that’s what needs to happen. I have seen a lot of people say I must have struggled maintaining my budget, but I found as a chef it’s my job to learn ways to make better food and at lower costs without compromising the quality of what is being served. Homemade is always better than premade.”
Jimmy Carter was the 39th president of the United States (1977 to 1981). Looking back on his achievements both in and out of office, it’s easy to say that he was a man ahead of his time. He was far ahead of the mainstream when it came to advocating for social justice, human rights, and the environment.
The former peanut farmer and Navy Lieutenant from Plains, Georgia, was also far ahead of his time when supporting gay rights. In 1976, while running for president, he said he would sign the Equality Act, an amendment to the 1964 Civil Rights Act that would prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation. “I will certainly sign it, because I don’t think it’s right to single out homosexuals for special abuse or special harassment,” he said.
He continued to advocate for gay rights as president. In 1977, the first gay delegation visited the White House. He also campaigned against California’s Proposition 6, which would have barred gays and lesbians from teaching in the state’s schools and was the first Democratic president to endorse gay rights in the party’s platform in 1980.
It may seem unusual for Carter, a confessed born-again Christian, to be a staunch advocate for gay rights. But he has publicly said that he believes that being pro-gay is wholly aligned with the teachings of Jesus Christ. Carter’s advocacy found itself in the spotlight once again after a meme featuring his thoughts about Christ and homosexuality from 2012 went viral on Reddit’s MadeMeSmile forum on April 8, 2024.
“A lot of people point to the Bible for reasons why gay people should not be in the church or accepted in any way,” the interviewer Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush said. But Carter responded by correctly noting that Jesus Christ never said anything about homosexuality.
“Homosexuality was well known in the ancient world, well before Christ was born and Jesus never said a word about homosexuality. In all of his teachings about multiple things—he never said that gay people should be condemned. I personally think it is very fine for gay people to be married in civil ceremonies,” Carter said. “I draw the line, maybe arbitrarily, in requiring by law that churches must marry people. I’m a Baptist, and I believe that each congregation is autonomous and can govern its own affairs.
“So if a local Baptist church wants to accept gay members on an equal basis, which my church does, by the way, then that is fine. If a church decides not to, then government laws shouldn’t require them to,” he continued.
Jimmy Carter in the White House.
Three years later, Carter shared the same sentiments in another interview with the Huffington Post, this time shortly after the U.S. Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage. “I think Jesus would encourage any love affair if it was honest and sincere and was not damaging to anyone else, and I don’t see that gay marriage damages anyone else,” Carter said.
Jimmy Carter’s belief in gay rights stems from his faith as a Christian, but it’s also in complete alignment with his values as an American. Carter believed that the United States was a “beacon” for human rights, and in his 1981 presidential farewell address, he reminded the nation that the job was an ongoing struggle.
“The battle for human rights–at home and abroad–is far from over,” Carter said. “If we are to serve as a beacon for human rights, we must continue to perfect here at home the rights and values which we espouse around the world: A decent education for our children, adequate medical care for all Americans, an end to discrimination against minorities and women, a job for all those able to work, and freedom from injustice and religious intolerance.”
Jimmy Carter passed away on December 29, 2024, at the age of 100 years old. He was the longest-lived U.S. president. After his passing, President Joe Biden wrote that Carter, “stands as a model of what it means to live a life of meaning and purpose, a life of principle, of faith and humility. His life was dedicated to others.” He will forever be remembered as a man who fought for human rights both at home and abroad.
This article originally appeared two years ago. It has been updated.
Like the space flights before it, the Artemis II mission revolves around hard science and data. But what has captivated us most here on Earth is the beauty and humanity it reveals. We’ve enjoyed the astronauts’ joyful camaraderie as they reach farther into space than any humans have gone before. We’ve been touched by the reminder that we are all one people. And we’ve wept at the naming of a moon crater after Commander Reid Wiseman’s late wife.
And now, we’re hearing from the lone Canadian onboard, sharing how Indigenous elders’ wisdom has helped guide him through this mission.
In preparation for the Artemis II launch, mission specialist Jeremy Hansen said he sought advice that led him to Indigenous wisdom. Asked what he learned from Indigenous elders, Hansen shared his response from space.
“I’ve had many Indigenous elders spend time with me in my travels across the country, and I’ve always enjoyed it,” he said. “If I can give you one piece of advice, sit with your elders and ask questions. But listen intently. Every time I’ve stopped to listen, I’ve just learned these amazing things.”
Hansen pulled out the personal mission patch he carried onboard.
‘This encompasses a few of the things I learned from the elders,” he said. “But when I left the vision quest, I had a better understanding of it. These animals in this patch, that was created by Anishinaabe artist Henry Guimond from the Turtle Lodge, these animals represent some things that I try to think about every day. My mantra when I wake up is I am just going to try to spend my day walking with these attributes. And so I start with courage, humility, respect, love, honesty, wisdom, and truth.”
Hansen said the crew named their Orion spacecraft “Integrity,” which he says encapsulates those attributes.
“For me, being ‘in integrity’ is walking in accordance with these seven sacred laws, and it’s just something that helps guide me through life,” he said.
The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) explains the “Seven Sacred Laws” represented by the animals on Hansen’s patch. The following descriptions come from Sabe, Leader of Turtle Lodge, and have been edited for concision by the CSA:
Buffalo – Respect
The buffalo represents respect. It gives its entire being to feed the people, for them to live. Elders teach that when you respect others, you give of yourself, you give your life to help people around you to create a better existence for all.
Eagle – Love
The eagle represents love. Grandmothers say that one of the most powerful medicines we have is love, that love is a powerful healer. The eagle also symbolizes vision and sight. It is important to see ahead, to have a vision of one’s purpose and to work towards it. Elders teach that one’s true purpose is always rooted in love and in support of others.
Bear – Courage
A very physically powerful animal, the bear represents courage.A mother bear is fearless in the protection of her cubs. It is natural for her to display courage and strength, to do what is right in life. It is not always easy to face challenges, follow one’s purpose and do the right thing. Only with the courage and resilience of the bear will you be able to face and overcome the challenges that could prevent you from living out your life’s purpose.
Sasquatch – Honesty
Sasquatch or Bigfoot – Sabe or ‘giant’ in the Ojibway language – represents the importance of honesty and being true to one’s word. Say what you mean and be honest with yourself and others. Elders often exemplify this trait; when they say something, their word is a commitment and can be counted upon. Honesty is also speaking true and good words about others and avoiding gossip.
Beaver – Wisdom
The beaver represents wisdom. It has an incredible gift to build and create, as well as the wisdom of how to use this gift. The beaver’s creation harnesses life-giving water to create important ecosystems that support and enable life. It can even channel water back into an area following a devastating forest fire, renewing and revitalizing that ecosystem.
Like the beaver, we all have a special gift to offer others. Use the wisdom of the beaver to acknowledge your gifts and put them to use in the service of others: this is the source of life satisfaction and happiness.
Wolf – Humility
The wolf represents humility, acknowledging that there is a higher power and natural laws governing the universe. Showing gratitude for our life and our existence, while acknowledging that we are all equal is a sign of humility. The sun shines on us all equally, and no one is better or less than others.
Turtle – Truth
The turtle is truth. The Elders say that in order to know and understand truth, we have to learn to understand the six other teachings: respect, love, courage, honesty, wisdom, humility. The turtle leaves a trail, truth, for us to follow. As we are constantly faced with challenges, we should do our best to follow that trail and live truthfully.
Ahead of #NDTR on Monday, we invite you to reflect and learn about the diverse cultures of the Indigenous Peoples. You can also read about the Seven Sacred Laws depicted on @astro_Jeremy’s personal mission patch for his journey to the Moon on Artemis II. https://t.co/TDUkxwv1CF
The patch has some obvious symbols, such as the Big Dipper, the North Star (with five points to represent Hansen’s five family members), the Canadian flag, and the Royal Canadian Air Force astronaut wings.
But it holds other symbolism as well, the CSA explains. The bow represents Artemis, the twin sister of Apollo and the goddess of the moon and the hunt. She launches her arrow with the astronauts, taking off from Turtle Island—the Indigenous name for the Americas—toward Grandmother Moon. The silver border represents the Orion spacecraft. The blue border beneath it represents the light, or spirit, in all living things that travels with the crew through space.
What a beautiful reminder of our connection to Earth, and of the meaningful lessons we carry with us when we leave it.
At 88 years old, Marie McLaren has done a lot in her life. Before retirement, she worked as a sales assistant, a factory worker, and a cleaner—all while raising three children, who now have kids of their own. But in her golden years, she’s pursuing a new challenge: stand-up comedy.
Most up-and-coming comedians make their debut at small shows or open mics. McLaren, however, had the added pressure of performing a five-minute set as part of the Glasgow International Comedy Festival. It would be understandable to flop or fumble under those conditions. Instead, McLaren nailed it like a pro.
McLaren decided to give stand-up comedy a try after years of encouragement from family and friends. In fact, she was practically pushed into it. Her daughter signed her up for a four-week stand-up comedy course for seniors.
“I’ve always liked making people laugh. I’ve been a bit of a joker all my life and I’ve never had much time for folk that just complain and moan,” McLaren told Chortle. “My friends used to say I should try stand-up, so when my daughter signed me up for this I thought, ‘Well, I’ll give it a go.’ I might be 88 but that doesn’t mean you should stop trying new things.”
The class, taught by award-winning Scottish comedian Viv Gee, teaches senior students how to write and develop original material. It also focuses on building confidence and controlling the room in front of a live audience. The course is promoted in partnership with Age Scotland.
Age Scotland is a charity focused on the social and mental well-being of older adults. It helps fund and promote programs that provide activities, care, and companionship. These efforts aim to address the loneliness epidemic among elderly communities.
A new star is born
Once the course ended, McLaren and her classmates performed at the Social Hub in Scotland. The class and the show were organized in partnership with Age Scotland. The name of the seniors’ comedy show? The Old Ones Are the Best.
McLaren credits her successful debut to her teacher.
“Viv has been brilliant. She explains everything properly and gives you the confidence to try it,” she said. “You come in thinking you don’t know what you’re doing and then suddenly you’re writing things down and thinking, ‘I can do this.’”
While this was her first time writing and performing stand-up comedy, McLaren has always had a performance bug. Prior to her comedy debut, she and her husband joined a talent agency for walk-on roles in film and TV. Most notably, she appeared in a music video for The Proclaimers, directed by Matt Lucas.
While the class is over, McLaren’s journey into the comedy world is just beginning.
“If I was asked to do more, I would definitely say yes. As long as I can still stand up and make people laugh, I’ll keep going,” she said. “I don’t think you should ever stop. If something comes along and you fancy it, just do it.”
