My daughter is a paramedic and sign language interpreter in NYC. She has been involved in advocating for a hearing impared child that was separated from her parents at the border with Mexico and shipped clandestinely to New York. On her way to visit the four year old and her seven year old sister, she stopped to buy them ice cream. As she walked up to the counter at the neighborhood bodaga, the owner behind the counter had a heart attack and colapsed. My daughter revived him and call an ambulance to take him to the hospital. As they put him on the stretcher and started wheeling him out the door he looked over at my daughter thanked her and said by the way your ice cream is free.

There some elderly people at the homeless shelter I volunteer.
At dinner time we have a line, every one goes through and get some good food, and sit at the tables.
But rather than have the elderly stand in line I will seat them down at the table and bring their food out to them.
They don't need to give me thanks for doing that, but they do. and that makes me happy.

Okay! I just heard this story. In the 1940s, a young girl working at a factory that made ammunition put her name and address in one of the boxes she sealed on the factory belt. A young serviveman opened the box, found the address, became her pen pal and looked her up two years later when he was discharged. They met in Boston, MA. They fell in love by pen and married two weeks after meeting in person. They moved to Colorado after marrying and are still married and in love today. The woman who told me this story's mother is the woman's friend.

I dunno if it ranks with some of the others but it is current.
The power of positive actions.
I had sat in the doldrums for too long. So I started hitting POF on a daily basis. Finally after 2 weeks of msgs and replies that disappear I got a date for this Sunday. This would mean cleaning my flat. So a female friend came round and we got stuck in with cloths etc. Half way through and I get a call from my daughter. We had fallen out last year and although Ive tried to keep in touch it has been all one way traffic. Then she called just to ask how I was.

My favorite hiking partner, Karen, watches out for me. She extends a hand and helps me when I panic, walking across a slippery log high above rapids and sharp boulders.

I deeply appreciate Karen's kindness and how she keeps me safe.

During our four-year drought, hiking Chatter Creek was easy, albeit extremely steep. Multiple creek crossings were low or completely dried up. In 2016 after heavy winter snow, Spring runoff was huge.

On May 24 I hiked up Chatter Creek trail with Karen and Gro. When we go to the biggest creek crossing, I froze. Chatter Creek was huge, fast and crashing over waterfalls, wet, slippery boulders, logs and rocks.

To cross, I would have to climb up a giant vertical boulder, negotiate slippery rocks and logs, and walk up a sharply tilted, nearly vertical tree trunk that had fallen across the creek, jamming against the boulder.

“No way,” I thought and dropped downhill, scouting for an easier crossing. I managed to cross a waterfall to a little island in the creek, but there was no way to get to the other bank.

Discouraged, I returned to the original crossing. Karen and Gro were (magically) on the far bank of Chatter Creek. Karen, 68, nimbly scrambled back, asking, “Are you afraid?” “Terrified,” I admitted.

“Hand me your pack and hiking pole,” Karen said. I collapsed the pole, strapping it to my pack. Karen scrambled halfway across, tossing my day pack to Gro. “Wow, your pack is heavy!” Gro exclaimed when she caught it. “What have you got in there, the kitchen sink?”

“Kathleen, we are going to use rock climbing skills,” Karen explained. “Always keep three limbs anchored; only move one hand or one foot at a time. I will go slowly. Follow me and put your hands and feet exactly where I put mine.”

“Put your left foot here. Now boost yourself up and grab this edge with your right hand. Brace yourself with your left foot and right hand.” Together we scrambled up the vertical boulder like spiders.

Negotiated slippery rocks and logs. Next was the sharply tilted log. Walking up the log was impossible.

“Now straddle the log like riding a horse, letting your legs dangle down the side,” Karen said. “Use your hands to scoot yourself forward up the log.” We edged around protruding branches.

During the descent, that scary creek crossing was much easier. I had mentally rehearsed and knew I could do it. As a small woman, it is often easier to sit down and slide off boulders, landing downhill on my feet.

On the far side, Karen reached out and helped Gro and me jump across the water to the slippery, steep bank.

Hiking builds self-confidence when we face challenges and succeed.

The big one, Bruiser, does NOT like other dogs, AT ALL. He and Her Royal Cuteness are completely devoted to each other., and he is totally submissive to her. They are thick as thieves. ?

I like you.

In late 2008, i found out my husband of 33 years was cheating, in 2009 he divorced me. (I know, i know) Right after that I had total shoulder and total knee replacement...the knee replacement had to be redone 2 months later. I am now 4th-term President of a 100-member Over-55 Singles Social Club, own a tiny RV that I travel in with my 2 little rescue dogs, have had the breast reduction i have always wanted, a really lovely boyfriend who adores me, sing karaoke at least twice a week, and the alimony will roll in Forever!
Life is Excellent!

Your post made me smile and i wanted to share that smile .I think that the most heartwarming experience I have had, is of having survived - I am constantly surprised that I am in existence because I was so close to being offed by my really weird family who had many many mental health issues.

I ran away at 15 years old and had such great adventures for my young self and found people 'out there' were so kind it made me want to cry for all those who never get to that bit. I was lucky.

I think I have been lucky because I never paused before jumping into something new or strange and that helped too not being afraid because I had been so afraid previously. I am not saying I wasn't sometimes taken for a fool but it didnt matter because thre was a wider world with people in it who were really OK.
and by the way you don't have to adult any day you don't want to days off recuperating are legitamite and necessary.

Try this on for heart warming. I cried.

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