In a world often clouded by negativity and stress, maintaining a positive outlook can be challenging. However, some individuals appear to radiate positivity effortlessly. This article uncovers the seven habits of highly positive people and offers insights into how you can incorporate these habits into your own life.

1. Embrace Gratitude

The first habit of highly positive people is the practice of gratitude. They start and end their day by acknowledging the good in their lives.

Maggie Turner, a renowned psychologist, suggests, “Gratitude shifts your focus from what is lacking in your life to what is abundant. It’s a simple but powerful tool to create a positive mindset.”

Action Step: Start a gratitude journal. Write down three things you are grateful for every morning and every night.

2. Practice Mindfulness

Highly positive individuals understand the power of living in the present moment. They practice mindfulness, which helps them stay connected with their present experiences and lessens the impact of negative thoughts.

Action Step: Incorporate mindfulness into your daily routine. It could be as simple as focusing on your breath for five minutes or mindfully enjoying your meals.

3. Cultivate Optimism

Positive people are fundamentally optimistic. They see challenges as opportunities for growth rather than obstacles. They believe in their ability to shape their own future.

Action Step: Whenever you face a challenge, consciously choose to view it as an opportunity. Ask yourself, “What can I learn from this situation?”

4. Maintain Healthy Relationships

Positive individuals surround themselves with other positive influences. They understand the importance of healthy relationships and are intentional about who they spend time with.

Action Step: Evaluate your social circle. Make efforts to spend time with those who uplift you and consider distancing from negative influences.

5. Engage in Physical Activity

Regular physical activity is a cornerstone of the positive individual’s lifestyle. Exercise releases endorphins, the brain’s feel-good neurotransmitters, promoting a sense of well-being.

Action Step: Engage in at least 30 minutes of physical activity every day. It could be a walk, yoga, or your favorite sport.

6. Practice Self-Care

Highly positive people prioritize self-care. They understand that they can’t pour from an empty cup. Regular self-care practices help them rejuvenate and maintain their positivity.

Action Step: Dedicate a specific time each day for self-care. It could be reading, meditating, or simply enjoying a cup of tea in silence.

7. Commit to Continuous Learning

Positive individuals are lifelong learners. They constantly seek opportunities for growth and self-improvement. They view life as a journey of learning.

Action Step: Commit to learning something new every week. It could be a new skill, a new language, or even a new recipe.

Conclusion: Your Journey to Positivity

Adopting the seven habits of highly positive people might seem daunting at first. But remember, change doesn’t happen overnight. As you embark on your journey to positivity, take it one step at a time.

As motivational speaker Jim Rohn once said, “Success is nothing more than a few simple disciplines, practiced every day.”

By incorporating these habits into your life, not only will you enhance your positivity, but you’ll also inspire those around you. As positivity spreads, we can create a ripple effect, building a more positive world one habit at a time.

The post The 7 Habits of Highly Positive People: A Journey Towards Optimism appeared first on Daily Positive.

In the heart of the Midwest, there is a small town named Harmony, that has embraced a practice usually associated with ancient Eastern traditions – mindfulness. This is a tale of transformation, of how a single decision taken by a community transformed the quality of life for its residents and set an example for towns across the country.

A Turning Point

The transformation began with Mary Roberts, a schoolteacher who had discovered mindfulness during a summer vacation. She observed how the practice helped her manage stress and improve her focus. Upon returning to Harmony, she decided to introduce mindfulness in her classroom. The results were nothing short of remarkable.

Spreading the Message

Observing the positive impact on her students, Mary decided to take this message to the broader community. She organized a town hall meeting where she shared her experiences and demonstrated the practice of mindfulness. The audience, initially skeptical, were soon won over by her passion and conviction.

Bringing Mindfulness into Daily Life

In the weeks that followed, mindfulness started to seep into the everyday life of Harmony’s residents. They started incorporating it into their routines, taking a few minutes each day to focus on their breath, observe their thoughts, and cultivate awareness.

Harmony’s Mayor, Joe Dawson, said, “I’ve never seen anything quite like this. People are more patient, more focused, and there’s a sense of calmness that wasn’t there before.”

Transformative Results

The impact of this community-wide embrace of mindfulness was profound. Local businesses reported increased productivity, schools noted improved concentration and better grades among students, and the local health clinic saw a decrease in stress-related health issues.

“Mindfulness has given us a tool to deal with the stresses of modern life,” says Dr. Lisa Hamilton at the Harmony Health Clinic. “We’re seeing fewer cases of anxiety and depression, and overall, people just seem happier.”

Words of Inspiration

Mary Roberts, the catalyst for this mindfulness revolution, shares her thoughts: “It’s amazing to see how a simple practice can have such a powerful impact. When we become more aware of our thoughts and feelings, we can respond to life’s challenges with more clarity and compassion.”

Conclusion

Harmony’s story is a testament to the power of mindfulness and the profound impact it can have on a community. This small town embraced a practice that brought about a significant positive change in the lives of its residents. As more communities adopt mindfulness, the potential for a more aware, compassionate, and understanding society becomes an achievable reality.

The post The Power of Positivity: How A Small Town Adopted Mindfulness and Changed Forever appeared first on Daily Positive.

A deceased woman’s lawyer explains to her granddaughters that whoever adopts the cat will get their grandmother’s belongings.

I loved my grandmother even though she could be a difficult woman, and after my mother passed away, she was all I had. I guess I understood her, her sour disposition, and her anger.

She had lost her three children and her husband, and all she had left was me and my cousin, Vera. I guess I could have been more attentive but I was in college 600 miles away, and rarely made it back to New York.

Vera lived close by, but she never got along with my grandmother. Her father had been gran’s favorite, but Vera apparently didn’t live up to her expectations. The truth is, gran had a sharp tongue, and she didn’t spare Vera.

Even when we were kids and our parents were still alive, Vera hated going to gran’s house, hated that dark brownstone stuffed with dreary furniture and hung with heavy curtains that never seemed to let in any light.

I didn’t mind so much, and my mom explained to me that gran was very lonely, and that unhappy people are sometimes crotchety because they are in pain. I never forgot that. And I never forgot her tenderness towards her old cat.

He seemed to be the only creature she loved. Her gnarled old hands deformed by arthritis were always gentle on his fur, and he seemed to be equally devoted to her.

Then Vera’s dad died of cancer, and two years later, my mom passed away from a heart attack and it felt like our whole family was cursed, and at the center of the curse was gran, like a witch with her cat.

So I suppose when she died, I wasn’t overcome with grief. I felt saddened, yes, she was the last tie I had to my beloved mother, but it was hard to feel a connection with a woman who had pushed me away all my life.

Anyway, the biggest surprise was when her lawyer summoned me and Vera and said we had some decisions to make. He explained that gran had made a will in which she left her entire estate to whoever took care of her cat.

“Don’t look at me,” Vera said sharply, “I’m not keeping that mangy cur! I don’t need her measly inheritance, thank you very much! I don’t even know how that cat is still alive. It must be 30 years old!”

Greed is a poor counselor and will lead the avaricious astray.

The lawyer coughed. “Well, a year ago, your grandmother adopted a new cat — and that’s the animal one of you would be taking care of.”

“Well,” Vera said laughing, “You can have it all and you’re welcome, Daphne! That beastly animal will probably live another 15 years!”

I looked at the lawyer and remembered my grandmother’s gentle hands stroking the cat’s fur. “I’ll do it,” I said quietly, “My mother would have, and so will I.”

The lawyer silently handed me the agreement and I signed it while Vera laughed. “That old woman got her claws into you! You’ll be spending a fortune to keep that cat, and for what? A handful of knickknacks?”

The lawyer smiled at her. “There’s a little more to Mrs. Preston’s estate than a few knickknacks. Apart from the brownstone, the jewelry, and the furniture, Miss. Daphne will be receiving around $3.5 million after taxes.”

Vera gasped. “WHAT? I thought the brownstone was rented…And the money…I had no idea…”

“Well, Miss Vera,” said the lawyer calmly, “Mrs. Preston wasn’t a woman to brag about what she had or didn’t have or to speak about her finances to anyone, but she was a wealthy woman.”

“Wealthy!” gasped Vera. “If I had known…”

“Yes well,” said the lawyer with a smile that might have been mistaken for a smirk. “As I said, the liquid assets are worth around, $3.5 million, but I believe the house, art, and jewelry will more than double that. Miss Daphne will be a rich woman.”

“But if I had known, I would have taken the damn cat!” Vera screeched.

“And your grandmother knew that,” the lawyer said calmly. “Which is why she directed me to withhold the information until after a decision was reached. She wanted whoever accepted her charge to do so out of love, not greed.”

“So she gets everything and I get nothing!” screamed Vera. “It’s not fair!”

“It’s very fair,” the lawyer said. “Miss Daphne’s decision to take on what she believed was a burden was based on her love for her mother and her respect for her grandmother, so it’s only fair that she be rewarded for her good heart.”

And that was how I suddenly found myself the owner of a brownstone, more money than I knew what to do with, and a sweet-natured, lovely calico cat called Muffin who turned out to be the best part of the deal.

The post My Grandma’s Сat Determined Which of Her Granddaughters Will Get an Inheritance – Story of the Day appeared first on Daily Positive.

When the officers noticed the elderly man struggling, they pulled over to mow his lawn. Turns out, they couldn’t have picked a more deserving person to help.

It’s always so satisfying when someone who is truly deserving of good deeds gets treated well. When officers patrolling an Anaheim, California neighborhood stopped to help an elderly man, they learned that they could not have decided to help a better person.

Lupe Robles was mowing his lawn in 85-degree weather.

While that is not too hot for Southern California, it is quite hot if you are 83 years old, like Robles. But he was outside, sweating and working hard to help ensure that his lawn stayed healthy.

The cops were patrolling nearby, and when they saw Robles they knew they couldn’t let him work so hard alone.

Alex Ungureanu and Lorenzo Uribe are two Anaheim police officers. When they drove past Robles street they noticed that he seemed to be struggling with his lawnmower. Knowing that working too hard, and in high temperatures at his age can pose health risks, they stopped their police car and offered to take over mowing.

Uribe explains their reasoning to LA’s CBS Local:

“Part of our duties is to help our citizens. And I think, based on the call we were on, this was a priority.”

So the cops got right to work.

While Officer Uribe went to the lawnmower and started mowing the grass, Officer Ungureanu began to prune trees and see what else they could help Robles with.

Robles’ neighbors were so blown away by the officer’s actions that they began to record them working on his lawn. For his part, Robles was also extremely grateful. In fact, Robles spoke through Officer Uribe, using him as a translator to explain what the actions meant to him:

“I was very grateful, I was very happy. They are totally awesome…good friends now.”

Robles was so tired because he had been busy all day doing his own acts of kindness.

You really do reap what you sow! Robles had been helping his neighbors out all day. Since dawn, he had been in his neighbor’s yards mowing their grass and watering their plants. He did this all for free and simply out of the kindness of his own heart.

Turns out, this is just normal for him. Robles has been helping his neighbors like this for as long as he has lived in the community, the past 13 years. So, it really is perfect that the cops stopped to help him with his own yard and gave him a break during the hot day.

Robles’ neighbors have nothing but praise for their selfless neighbor.

While the neighbors were amazed and touched by the officer’s kindness, they also really admire the consistency and dedication that Robles puts into helping others.

One neighbor shared his admiration by telling this story:

“This man works from like 6 or 7 o’clock in the morning, til almost dusk. And I get tired just watching him sometimes, and I’m a lot younger than he is!”

Another neighbor commented:

“I watch him come in here, and sometimes he’s here when it’s dark!”

Both the officers and Robles deserve praise for their good deeds.

Yesterday afternoon, Offcrs Uribe and Ungureanu were patrolling in the 700 blk of N Harbor Blvd when they saw an elderly male struggling to mow his lawn in the 90 degree heat. The officers stopped and finished mowing the lawn. That’s what we call #community #teamwork #excellence pic.twitter.com/3SxwhC0hDE

— Anaheim PD (@AnaheimPD) September 23, 2019

The officers even mentioned that Robles has become their new role model because of how hard he works. As these three men prove, doing hard work to make life better for other people is always worth it.

Learn more about this act of kindness by watching the video below!

Please SHARE this with your friends and family.

The post Cops stop to mow 83-year-old’s lawn then find out the heartwarming reason why he’s so tired appeared first on Daily Positive.

He worked quickly to get the horse freed, but who would have expected a thank you like that.

The wild horses who freely roam the Delta Danube are some of the last remaining populations to trot through Europe. While there are concerns over their rising populations and their effect on their surrounding ecosystem, they face excessive slaughtering and being targeted as a meat source.

Sadly, the way the locals of Letea sometimes treat them is not always humane.

One of these horses was spotted, with a rather cruel restraint.

Ovidiu Rosu, veterinarian for the Four Paws team spotted a wild horse with a cruel, yet sadly common restraint for the area. The horse’s front legs were chained together, a way that these wild horses are often stopped from being able to run away. Of course, this creates huge discomfort and restrictions for the horses.

To stay safe, the horse is tranquillized.

Ovidiu shoots the horse with a tranquillizer gun in order to put it to sleep. This is firstly for the horse’s safety, so that it doesn’t attempt to thrash or run and hurt itself while Ovidiu is at work, and of course it’s also to protect Ovidiu.

When the horse is down, they cover its eyes.

This is to keep the horse calm while Ovidiu is doing what he has to. Like many other animals, covering a horse’s eyes stop them from panicking and keep them restful. This horse has a good friend, who watches over it while Ovidiu gets to work.

The horse had chains around both of its front hooves.

This prevents the horses from running away easily, forcing them to do a sort of hop, which slows them down drastically. Having the horses much slower means that they’re easier to catch and hunt for their meat. As you can imagine, this it very painful for the horses and the chains can not only prevent them from usual movement, but cut into their skin and hurt their joints.

This dutiful vet sets his mind to the task.

With a pair of pliers, the Four Paws vet begins working on the wires that attach the chains around the horse’s ankles. As you can see, the horse was severely restricted by these chains, and it’s a good thing that it was subdued, or Ovidiu would have one heck of a time removing these chains.

The horse’s friends tentatively seem to thank Ovidiu.

It’s clear that the horse with the chains has a few good friends out on the delta, as these horses remain close the whole time Four Paws is at work. They stand by protectively, and watch on, inspecting Ovidiu as he works on their friend. It even seems as if they’re thanking him.

When the horse comes to, the cloth is removed.

Slowly but surely this horse becomes conscious again, and when the cloth is removed, it stirs and wakes up. Still drowsy, it will take a bit of time for this horse to shake off the sedative, but now will be able to run free.

They even stick around to make sure the horse can get up.

The job isn’t done until they know that this horse is going to be fine, and that means even helping it up to its hooves.

Now tagged for them to track, this horse has a new lease on life.

Thank goodness for these compassionate people who go out of their way to free this poor horse from its inhumane chains. At least this horse also has some good friends. Not only that, but Ovidiu and the Four Paws team get their heartfelt thanks from these grateful horses.

Watch the full video below to see this amazing rescue job.

Please SHARE this with your friends and family.

The post Wild horse gives rescuer kiss after being freed from chains appeared first on Daily Positive.

Gary Sinise is not your typical actor. The Golden Globe-winning humanitarian has devoted his life to acting, his family, and helping others in every manner he can.

 

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Unlike other famous marriages, Sinise and his wife Moira Harris have been married for 40 years and have three amazing kids. Gary has now shared the secret of his fantastic and long-lasting marriage to his admirers.

Gary Sinise’s profession has been unlike many others. It’s normal for artists and actresses to receive their big break at a young age, but here’s why Sinise’s career has been different from the start.

We’re not suggesting the now-65-year-old actor didn’t have a good career when he was younger. But, he had to wait until his major breakout part in the famous 1994 film Forrest Gump.

Gary Sinise’s primary employment has always been acting, but he has made the most of his life by being a good parent and husband, as well as by assisting veterans.

Gary Sinise made it a point to help people as he rose through the ranks of notoriety. Obviously, his family is the most important thing to him.

Many times in Hollywood, one learns about celebrities marrying and then divorcing a year or two later. But that is not the case in Gary Sinise’s situation.

For the past 40 years, he has been married to Moira Harris. Gary and his wife met before he became famous. The fact is that Gary and Mary attended Illinois State University together.

Gary and Moria met just as their respective careers were taking off. His wife, a great actress at the time, worked in movies and featured in various television programs in the 1980s.

Moira was found by Gary in the mid-1970s when she portrayed Laura in Cat On A Hot Tin Roof.

Moria claims she first saw her future husband at a party.

It was after the performance at a party at a friend’s house. She adored him since he was calm, nice, and humble. Certainly she thought he looked like a young Paul Newman. And then he took her home, and that was the end of it.

Sinise said in his book “Grateful American: A Journey from Self to Service,” according to Amomama, that their initial wedding was called off.

As per Gary, the couple had prepared everything, even the wedding date and invitations. But the pair called it off just a few days before the wedding.

What’s the reason? Gary and Moira both believed they were too young to devote to such a long term relationship. Luckily, there was a ceremony a bit later, and the pair has been together since then. They married in 1981 and have three kids as a result of their union.

Gary and Moira’s love story is definitely unforgettable. They have three amazing kids: Sophie (born in 1988), McCanna Anthony (1990), and Ella (1992).

Such a long-lasting marriage is uncommon, particularly among those in show industry, but Moira and Gary have demonstrated that it is achievable.

So, what is the key to such a long-lasting relationship?

Gary described himself as having a sense of humor. His wife is a lovely, hilarious, Irish-spirited lady, and some of the things she says still surprise him. Every day, she makes him chuckle.

Gary Sinise opted to take a sabbatical from acting in 2017, after his participation on Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders. He and his wife Moira then revealed that their daughter was expecting a child and that they would be first-time grandparents!

Share this beautiful happy story with your loved ones.

The post Gary Sinise and wife of 40 years are still madly in love despite their first wedding being called off appeared first on Daily Positive.

13-year-old Jack Rico, on the other hand, just graduated from California’s Fullerton College with four associate’s degrees.

You read that correctly. In fact, Jack became the youngest Fullerton College graduate ever. In celebration, friends and family threw him a special commencement ceremony.

Graduating with four degrees at such a young age isn’t easy by an means. His success is built on the back of hard work and dedication. Jack explains,

“You never just know everything. You have to study day and night.”

Wise words. And that’s coming from a 13-year-old.Jack poses for a photo, featuring a blue graduation cap and yellow tassel.

A sign behind him reeds “Youngest Graduate Ever.”

Class of 2020, welcome your youngest graduate.

Is he wearing a Hawaiian lei? The kid’s got some style. Some flare, too.

Friends and family throw him a special, socially distant graduation commencement. Some spectators are wearing masks, while others stay in their cars on the street nearest the makeshift commencement stage.

They’re so proud.

Jack’s grandparents were also in attendance. His Grammy’s sign reads,

“Congratulations to our grandson Jack. Grammy and Papa are so proud of you.”

As assurance, the presiding graduation official states,

“We checked in admissions and records. It has never been done before.”

It’s official.

SOURCE: YOUTUBE/INSIDE EDITIONAside from taking place in the worst global pandemic in 100 years, the graduation was pretty normal, featuring socially distant versions of all the normal traditions.

This includes the ceremonial cap toss – an absolute necessity.

Did you know that some universities have removed the cap toss from their graduation commencement ceremonies?

Immediate family and friends pose with Jack for a memorable photo.

They’re all smiles.

So where is Jack headed? What’s his academic and career path from here on out?

Well, he wants to spend some time exploring options and developing a passion. For now, he’s set on screenwriting, jokingly stating in an interview,

“Wanna go out to dinner, Steven Spielberg? Alright. You wanna pick up Michael Bay on the way? You know, like that’d be pretty cool.”

Maybe he’ll be directing blockbuster flicks one day.

Not that it’s a competition, but very, very few have accomplished what Jack has at such a young age. Most 13-year-olds are still adjusting to adolescence, while some are simply struggling to survive their school social circles.

But Jack’s not a regular kid. Inside Edition adds additional context and more details about his life,

“Jack Rico, 13, is the youngest student ever to graduate from Fullerton College with four associate degrees, according to the school. The teenager from La Mirada, California accomplished such a feat in two years. Rico’s mom started homeschooling him in the third grade because he needed more of a challenge. To celebrate his graduation, friends and family threw him a party in the front yard. Next fall, Rico will continue his education at the University of Nevada Las Vegas.”

So he’ll be a 14-year-old attending the University of Nevada, Las Vegas next year? I wonder how many degrees he’ll have by the time he hangs up the tassels for good.

Clearly, a bright future lies ahead. Keep up the excellent work Jack. The sky’s the limit.

Don’t forget to SHARE this with your friends and family!

The post 13-Year-Old Celebrates Graduating From College With 4 Degrees appeared first on Daily Positive.

Brandon had faced developmental issues his entire life. He was born underweight and had jaundice, and was behind on his development. He had a vision condition that required five eye surgeries, and walked with an abnormal gait. His many problems were caused by a genetic gene mutation.

Doctors later found that he had scoliosis and a misplaced hip, and they were advised to have corrective surgery on his hip. While doctors thought he would be walking again within six months, Brandon was confined to a wheelchair, unable to walk and growing increasingly anxious and depressed.

He couldn’t walk for eight years after the hip surgery. It took a toll on his self-esteem, and the teen said it was keeping him from ever getting a girlfriend.

In 2019, Brandon’s parents were planning to buy him a new wheelchair — but Brandon had other plans: he was determined to start walking again.

Taking steps forward

His parents heard about Special Strong’s special needs gym, and decided to give it a chance. Brandon began working with Daniel, who worked with him to regain his strength and begin walking again.

“You might not look at him and think he was brave, but I can assure you he was as courageous as anyone who has ever faced a ferocious enemy or even worse, their own demons,” Daniel wrote.

The program had the teen move gradually out of his wheelchair, moving on to a walker and arm crutches.

In their fifth session together, Brandon had a breakthrough: he started taking steps on his own, without his walker. Daniel watched on and gave him encouragement. It was the first time he had walked on his own in eight years.

During that session, Daniel promised that that was only the beginning, and that Brandon would be walking around on his own soon.

Walking again

A few weeks later, that moment arrived: Daniel told Brandon that this was the day he was going to walk, and the teen replied “I’m ready.”

The two went outside, and with the camera rolling, Brandon did something incredible: he walked on his own.

“You haven’t done this in eight years, and you’re making it look easy!” Daniel encourages him, saying he walked further than he expected.

“Are you proud of me?” Brandon asks. “I’m so proud of you,” Daniel replies.

Daniel was proud that Brandon took his first steps, but was even more proud that he overcame his fears.

“After that, everything changed for Brandon and his entire family,” Daniel wrote. “He hadn’t just learned to walk. He had conquered his fears. He had conquered the assumptions and self-limiting thoughts. He had conquered himself.”

The inspiring video went viral, and many people sent in words of encouragement from Brandon. He has continued visiting Special Strong and making further process.

After taking his first steps, Brandon says it’s his dream to one day walk again — and in another video shared just days later, he’s already doing a light jog on the treadmill:

Congrats to Brandon on making such amazing progress, conquering his fears and learning to walk on his own again!

Share this inspiring story with your friends and family!

The post Special needs teen walks on his own for the first time after 8 years in wheelchair appeared first on Daily Positive.

A short time later, he received a text from his mother.Tommy O’Connor, a senior at Irvington High School, was leaving a 7-Eleven in Fremont, California when he found himself in the middle of a “What would you do?” moment, according to Daily Positive.

After buying a soda at the convenience store, the teen noticed a wallet on the ground as he was headed back to class at Irvington.When he picked it up and looked inside, he saw $100 bills — lots of them. Although Tommy didn’t count the money at the time, it was later determined that the wallet contained $2,300 in cash.

Staring at the wad of cash, Tommy was faced with a choice between attempting to return the wallet to its rightful owner or going on a shopping spree.

Luckily for one veteran, Tommy didn’t hesitate to make the right decision that fateful Tuesday. Doing the right thing was the only option — but, there was a problem. Tommy couldn’t find the name of the owner inside the wallet. But, he still wouldn’t consider pocketing the money.

Instead, Tommy took the wallet and cash to his paraeducator, Anna Gomez, at school. “He was so concerned about finding the wallet’s owner,” Gomez recalled. “No other option even occurred to him. He immediately knew what he had to do.”

“I didn’t count it when I saw it,” Tommy said. “I just thought it was probably someone’s rent or something,” he added. As Gomez went through the wallet, the pair discovered it contained 23 $100 dollar bills, but Tommy never considered doing anything but the right thing.

Eventually, a Veteran’s Identification Card was located in the wallet, revealing its owner’s name and that he was a military veteran. Tommy O’Connor and Anna Gomez consulted with Irvington Principal Sarah Smoot, who assisted in making contact with the vet to return the wallet.

After the wallet and money was returned, the unnamed but grateful owner confirmed that the cash was indeed for his rent and happily rewarded Tommy with $50. But, there’s so much more to Tommy’s story. And, his parents have every reason to be proud.

Tommy had a huge reason to be tempted by the cash. The day before finding the wallet, the teen, whose family lives paycheck to paycheck, didn’t even have money of his own for lunch. “With us living month-to-month, it is a big chunk of money and I’m so proud of him that he did that,” Ron O’Connor, Tommy’s father, told KPIX 5.

Hearing what her son had done, Tommy’s mother sent him a heartfelt text, but it was his response that speaks volumes about the teen’s character. “I’m very proud of you son,” Sherry O’Connor’s texted to Tommy read. “Ms. Kalra called me. Wow your one in a million. Love you to the moon and back.”

Not willing to take the credit, Tommy replied, “You should be thanking yourself. You raised me.” And, even as the local news heaped praise on the California teen, he remained humble. “It’s just doing something I wish everyone else would do,” Tommy said, according to CBS Local.

But, Tommy’s parents know that he could have easily decided to keep the cash and are rightfully proud that, even during their own struggles, their son wasn’t tempted and his conscience didn’t waiver. “I’m just proud that he did the right thing, and hopefully all of my children would’ve done the same thing,” Ron O’Connor said.

Apparently, though, this is just who Tommy O’Connor is. “Tommy has always been that kind of person — he’s very empathetic to other students,” said Irvington physical science teacher Dipa Kalra, who’s also one of Tommy’s instructors. “I called his mother and told her she should be proud. He never thought of himself, only what the wallet’s owner was feeling.”

And, that’s what we call empathy — the ability to understand and share the feelings of another. It goes hand in hand with compassion, but sadly, it’s becoming rare in a world that’s increasingly self-centered and self-obsessed. Armed with self-indulgent tools like social media, many in our society, especially our youth, focus on their own importance, issues, and needs, hoping to elevate their own situation. Tommy could have done that and made himself a couple of thousand dollars richer, but he didn’t.

When we break out of our self-important bubbles, as Tommy did, and consider others, everyone benefits to some degree. Yes, Tommy O’Connor might have only gotten $50 instead of $2,300, but he set a priceless example. As his story spreads, his actions will encourage others to think twice and hopefully do what’s right. And, someday, that “missing wallet” might be his. Simply put, when society lives by the Golden Rule — treating others how we wish to be treated — we all win.

The post Teen Returns Lost Wallet To Veteran, Soon Gets Text From His Mother appeared first on Daily Positive.

Melanie was six years old, and she wanted a family. She had been in foster care since she was two — too young to even remember her mother and father.

She often asked herself: “Who were they? Did they love me?” Then she’d cry and whisper: “Why didn’t they want me?” But one day, something wonderful happened, something Melanie had been praying for.

A social worker came to visit Melanie and with her came a young couple. The man winked at Melanie and grinned, the woman smiled. She had the sweetest, kindest eyes Melanie had ever seen.

“This is Gordon and Helen,” the social worker explained. “And they want to adopt you.”

“They do?” gasped Melanie, then she turned to the couple and asked suspiciously, “Why do you want to do that?”

Miracles happen when you least expect them.

The man, Gordon, looked shocked by Melanie’s question, but Helen knelt down so she could look Melanie in the eyes and said, “We want to adopt you because we want the nicest, funniest, prettiest girl in New York City to be our daughter.”

Melanie smiled a big, sunny, happy smile and threw her arms around Helen. She had found a family who wanted her, and was willing to love her for herself!

Melanie went to live with Gordon and Helen and discovered that having parents was both wonderful and terrible. It was wonderful because you had two people giving you all their love and attention all the time.

It was terrible because you had two people giving you all their love and attention all the time, and noticing when you didn’t do things you were supposed to do.

Melanie discovered she couldn’t get away with not doing her homework, or doing any of the naughty but fun things she’d done in the foster home. There, there were so many kids, you get away with anything.

In a real family, you don’t get away with anything because people CARE about you! It was a wonderful realization, and when Helen told Melanie she had to clean her room before dinner, she cried, “Thank you, thank you!” and hugged her.

Helen laughed. “I have to tell you off more, Melanie!” she exclaimed.

“Yes, please,” Melanie cried. “Then I know you care!”

Six months went by, and life fell into a pattern that was comfortable for the little family. They got to know each other. Melanie knew not to make noise in the mornings because Gordon worked the night shift. Gordon learned not to scare Melanie with plastic spiders because she was REALLY scared, not fun, pretend scared.

Helen learned that both Gordon and Melanie loved peanut butter cookies. They’d sit on the back porch and devour a whole jumbo packet in five seconds, stuffing the whole cookies in their mouths to see who could eat faster.

They all learned what it’s like to be a happy family.

But then something awful happened. Gordon was hurt at work and had to spend several weeks in the hospital. Helen looked more and more worried as the days went by.

Melanie was a bright girl. She knew that doctors cost a lot of money. Sometimes she would hear Helen cry late at night, and she’d creep into her bed and hug her.

“Thank God for you, Melanie,” Helen would whisper and kiss her.

Fortunately, Gordon got better and came home, but he had to walk around on crutches. That was when the bills started arriving. Helen put them in little piles on the dresser and looked at them worriedly. “We’ll sort it out, Helen,” Gordon said softly.

“Our savings are all gone, Gordon,” she whispered. “I’m scared. It’s not just us, anymore. What if Melanie needs something and we don’t have the money.”

Gordon put his arms around Helen. “Trust in God, my love,” he said. “Hey Melanie, why are you looking so sad? Didn’t I see some peanut butter cookies hidden away on the top shelf?”

One morning, bright and early, Melanie woke up with a start. Someone had blown a party whistle right in her ear! She jumped and opened her eyes.

Her bedroom was full of balloons! Helen and Gordon (yes, he was up!) were standing by the foot of the bed wearing silly party hats and grinning. “HAPPY BIRTHDAY!” they shouted.

Melanie started to smile. “I forgot it’s my birthday!”

“Get up, get up,” chanted Gordon. “There’s a SURPRISE!”

Melanie got up and followed Helen and Gordon to the dining room. There was a big banner on the wall that read: “Happy Birthday Melanie!” and on the table was the most beautiful birthday cake she’d ever seen!

“That for me?” asked Melanie in a whisper. She came closer and saw the writing on the cake in silver with stars all around: “Happy Birthday Melanie.”

“It’s got my name on it!” Melanie exclaimed and burst into tears. She started sobbing so hard that Helen and Gordon were frightened and upset.

“Please, Melanie,” Gordon said. “Why are you crying, honey?”

“I’ve never had a cake before!” Melanie sobbed. “Does that mean you love me? Really, really love me?”

Gordon and Helen put their arms around Melanie. “Of course we love you,” Helen exclaimed. “We CHOSE you! Out of all the little girls in the world, we wanted YOU!”

The family had a wonderful day, and Melanie went to bed with a bit of a tummy ache because she ate too much cake, but it was the best birthday of her entire life.

The next day was a Sunday, and the family was getting ready to go to church when someone knocked on the door. There was a tall man standing there. “Are you Melanie’s adoptive mother?” he asked Helen.

“Yes,” Helen said. “Who are you?”

“I’m a friend of her late father,” the man said. “And I want to see her.”

“You can’t take her away,” Helen cried. “The court gave her to us.”

“I don’t want to take her away,” the man said gently. “I just want to see her.”

Helen and Gordon sat in the lounge holding hands while the man spoke to Melanie. “My dear,” he said. “I think you will understand the story I’m about to tell you better when you are older…”

“I’m seven,” Melanie said proudly. “I turned seven yesterday!”

“I know,” the man said, smiling. “I was there when you were born. You must know that your mommy and daddy loved you very much, Melanie. But when you were a year old, your mom went to heaven.

“Not long after that, your dad discovered he was very sick. He wanted to make sure he did everything he could for you, so he asked me to sell everything he had.”

The man took out a piece of paper and gave it to Melanie. “He wanted me to give you this money when you were eighteen, or when you were adopted by a good family. I know Helen and Gordon are good people who love you. This is for you and your new family.”

Melanie gave the paper to Helen who started crying. It was a check for $40,000. Melanie’s birth family had reached out and helped her new family when they needed it most!

What can we learn from this story?

• Miracles happen when you least expect them. Melanie was adopted by a wonderful couple after she’d given up hope, then she received an unexpected gift from her biological parents.
• A family is built on love and acceptance. Melanie, Gordon, and Helen became a wonderful family even though they weren’t related because they loved each other.

Share this story with your friends. It might brighten their day and inspire them.

The post Adopted Girl Cries When She Sees Her First B-Day Cake Ever, Gets $40K from Bio Dad Next Day – Story of the Day appeared first on Daily Positive.