As the news piles up about the pandemic and joins the existing flood of bad news, it’s easy to think the earth is a terrible place. We see stories of people fighting wars, committing crimes, and taking advantage of the vulnerable. Seeing all that, it’s easy to get the sense that perhaps part of human nature is just to be terrible to one another.
It’s important to bear in mind, however, that not only do negative stories stick in our memory more, they’re also great for business. A story about a tragedy draws readers to look at it and share it even when they already know all about it. And all that sharing brings in views of the ads in the article. Making you afraid and despair for humanity is very profitable.
The antidote to this is to change your media diet. Of course stay informed, stay on top of the news and know what’s happening, but also be aware of the good things that are happening all around us. In the midst of the pandemic I’ll be sharing all of the news and stories of this nature I’m finding. I hope these stories give you encouragement and hope when lots of bad things are happening. I also hope that, inspired by this, you may be able to find some way you, also, can be a ray of light in someone else’s life. So without further preface, here are the latest stories:
A little boy named Hemanth from Andhra Pradesh gave up the money he was saving for a bicycle to donate to COVID-19 relief funds. But he’s not alone. Kids from all over India are breaking open their piggy banks to make donations.
You can take the teachers out of schools but you can’t take the caring out of the teachers.
Toronto’s Turkish community is gathering food for food banks.
And in Turkey, Spiderman, himself has been spotted delivering food.
In Germany people are leaving bags of food out for the needy.
Other people are setting up pantries in their neighbourhoods.
And people are not just leaving packaged food out. These guys are leaving movies out and also, if you read the sign, people are invited to knock on the door for frozen food.
A farm in Idaho found that as a result of the pandemic, they had no market for their potatoes. Rather than let them go to waste, they gave them away.
In Sydney, Australia, a restaurateur is giving free meals to students. Students, particularly foreign students stuck outside their home countries are having a hard time making ends meet so he decided to do what he can to help.
In India a police officer takes time to feed a hungry child.
Actor and comedian Michael Che’s grandmother recently died of COVID-19. After she died, he paid the rent for all 160 apartments in the public housing building she lived in.
Birthdays in isolation are hard, but they’re especially hard for the elderly who would be especially at risk if people came to visit and celebrate with them. This person helped organize a “party” for his 80 year old mother and got the whole neighbourhood involved.
In Beirut, a band was raised on an elevated work platform to entertain the patients and staff at a hospital where most of the COVID-19 patients in the region are.
And COVID-19 patients at this hospital in Springfield, Massachusetts USA get a standing ovation from the staff who are all called to the lobby to say goodbye when they leave after recovering.
And finally, a very sweet story. A young man moves back in with his dad after the schools close and the son asks if his friend can stay with them as he’s having trouble with his own parents back home. The dad says “of course” and they all are living together. Soon the dad realizes that it is likely that the “friend” is actually a boyfriend that his son is afraid to talk about. The dad has no problem with this but can tell his son is uncomfortable and so he takes to the Internet and asks for advice for how to best let his son know he loves and accepts him and it’s fine to have a boyfriend. The article is a lovely read and includes the whole story from the dad along with much of the advice and reactions from people after he told those who gave him advice about how it went.
And as always I try to give an idea of what you can do to help in your own community. This time I’d like to remind you that people are still very much in need of blood donations. In Canada, Canadian Blood Services is still accepting donors and taking enhanced measures to protect donors and staff. (more details here). Patients still need blood transfusions and many still need other blood products like plasma to keep themselves healthy. And so, as always, your donations are really necessary and appreciated. If you are in Canada, you can find a location to donate and book an appointment here.
What good things are happening in your area?
Go Outside Today 
We have restaurants that are cooking and giving the meals away, also grocery stores having the senior hour in the morning and healthcare worker hour in the evening
I’m so happy to see that. I see quite a bit of that here also. As horrible as the pandemic is, it really has brought out the best in a lot of people.
So many touching gestures! The virus has bought out the best side out in many… n hats off to the teacher 🤗 great compilation of facts from all over the globe 🌍
Thanks. It’s really helpful for me to see this. It makes me feel better and also reminds me to be the best *I* can be.
There is something about that photo with the teacher that really touches me. Likely because in my own life teachers were *so* important.
Yes I agree with that… take care!
I loved the story of the dad and his son and his son’s friend which you linked to. It reminded me of my sister taking us all out to dinner when she turned 21 to tell us she was a lesbian. Which we had all known for at least 10 years! A relief that that was why she got us together. Glad she wasn’t terminally ill. Here my favorite story is the distillery who switched to making hand sanitizer and donating it to hospital workers.
That is a fantastic story! I also love seeing all of the distilleries changing to hand sanitizer. We have a few of those in our city as well. Brilliant!
Just got my lavender for me and clove/lemon for the guys. Great stuff.
This is a wonderful collection of inspiring stories across the globe. I have been reading about such kind of stories and it truly is heartening to say the least. I think for the first time, people of the world have come together in such a big way to to support humanity. I don’t think any other calamity has done this before. Of course, this one is different as across the world we are all facing the same situation. I feel there are more positive stories than negative ones. Also, it depends on what you focus on, as you rightly mention in your post. Also, I sincerely believe the world is not a bad place. Rather there is more good than bad in this world.