There's a phrase: "May you live in interesting times." Though it sounds like a benediction, it's really a curse. After all, we've lived through enough of them to know what "interesting" really means: Bewildering. Exhausting. Complex. We as individuals can't change that, so it's time to revisit our patented Journalist-Approved Good Stuff Advice for Handling Hard Times Without Becoming a Quivering Lump of Anxiety and Sadness (we'll work on the name):
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Limit your news consumption. Yes, you want to stay informed and be a good citizen. But pinging alerts and doom scrolling all day won't achieve anything other than making you tired. Set it as part of your routine, or maybe designate a certain amount of time per day to read in on the latest. Outside of those parameters, let it go. (And don't argue with people on the internet!!! Seriously, nothing good comes of it!)
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Find something to do in your community that makes someone else's life better. I'm volunteering this weekend with a friend. It could be as simple as doing a favor, reaching out to a friend who's having a hard time, inviting a neighbor over or — one of my favorite random pick-me-ups — just saying something super kind to a stranger. Pray, if that's your thing. You can't change the world alone, but you can radiate positive energy, and that makes a big difference.
- Practice gratitude. Remember that the good in life is often far less visible than the bad. If we focus on the darkness, we miss the small moments of beauty and kindness around us that light our way forward.
Let's be clear: What I'm describing isn't a strategy for avoidance. It's a way to reconnect with your humanity, your compassion and the positive power that's in every one of us. We all need as much of that as possible, in these unbearably interesting times.
If there's something you'd like to see here, drop us a line. Know someone who could use a little Good Stuff? Send them a copy! We hope you love it as much as we do.
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Our favorites this week
Get going with some of our most popular good news stories of the week
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The green monster, indeed
Congrats to all the teams still alive in the MLB Postseason! Though the Boston Red Sox aren't in the picture this year, they're still growing some great things at Fenway Park. In the highest levels of the historic ballpark lies Fenway Farms, a 5,000-square-foot rooftop garden area. Rooftop gardens are an effective form of green architecture and a great way to invigorate local food production. Farmers from Green City Growers plant, harvest and maintain the gardens in Fenway Farms, which grow all manner of produce. The rooftop bounty is used in a variety of ways, including in ballpark food offerings. Seasonal surpluses, along with harvests from another garden section in Fenway, are donated to a local charity.
Read the full story here.
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A better pass
It sounds like the plot of a Disney movie: a mountain lion prevented from finding a mate because he’s trapped by L.A. freeways becomes famous and inspires the construction of the world’s largest wildlife overpass. Welcome to real life! The cougar, named P-22, became a celebrity among Hollywood stars who would sometimes spot him as he roamed the neighborhoods near Los Angeles’ Griffith Park. His notoriety — and his unusual plight — attracted attention from parks staff, environmentalists and even social justice advocates, who pointed to the devastating effects large roads sometimes have on the natural rhythms of both people and animals. Now, a change is underway. The National Wildlife Federation, along with California’s transportation department, has spearheaded the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing, which will give local wildlife a safe way to roam in the area.
Read the full story here.
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The fattest bear
She's been crowned! The fattest bear of Fat Bear Week 2023 has been identified. 128 Grazer is a defensive mama bear who has successfully raised two litters of cubs and who “often preemptively confronts and attacks much larger bears — even large and dominant adult males,” according to the National Park Service. (Cue Reba's "I'm a Survivor.") This year, Grazer was flying solo with no cubs to protect, but the other bears remembered her fierce devotion to her litter. They gave her a lot of leeway, allowing her prime spots and opportunities to fatten up on salmon.
Read the whole story here.
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This very cool piece of art, created by Togolese artist Foli Kossi Gérard Tete (known as Tesprit), is made with the soles of flip flops discarded in landfills in Togo’s capital city of Lomé. The final image shows a father with his son on his knee; an ode, Tesprit says, to fatherhood. The artwork is part of an incredible project from Nigerian Afrobeats star Mr. Eazi. Eazi, born Oluwatosin Oluwole Ajibade, is pairing every song from his upcoming album "The Evil Genius" with a specially commissioned piece of art, including Tesprit's. Eazi says the process opened up his creativity a lot, and he hopes it can help challenge other people in the same satisfying way. "Bringing these two worlds together is introducing art to people like myself, who thought it was just for bougie people," he told CNN. "We’re dropping the barriers (to) consumption.”
Read the whole story here.
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I love people who harness themselves,
an ox to a heavy cart,
who pull like water buffalo, with massive patience,
who strain in the mud and the muck
to move things forward,
who do what has to be done, again and again.
- from "To Be of Use," by poet Marge Piercy
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We know that the plain white sculptures of classical antiquity weren't always so plain or white. They were once painted a riot of colors and patterns, and new imaging technology is helping tell us even more about these long-ago hues. According to a new study, infrared light has helped identify a blue paint known as "Egyptian blue" on several sculptures from the Parthenon in Athens. "Egyptian blue” was a popular pigment of its time that was made using calcium, copper and silicon. The bright blue was highly valued for its rarity and was commonly saved for royalty or depictions of gods and goddesses. The researchers also detected a purple color that was not found through the imaging process but by the human eye, Verri said. The hue, which they named “Parthenon purple,” is particularly unique, the study said, because researchers found that it was not made using shellfish — the common ancient Mediterranean recipe.
Read the whole story here.
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Rec of the week
Brought to you by CNN Underscored
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The 33 best pet Halloween costumes we’ve tested and loved
Given our passion for pet Halloween costumes, we decided to try a few on our very own cats and dogs to find the cutest, comfiest, most Instagram-ready pet costumes there are. A few scratches and barks later, these are our favorites.
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Shameless animal video
There's always time for cute animal videos. That time is now.
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Here's a solid moment of peace. Well, peace and extremely loud Boston Terrier snores. (Click here to view) |
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A newsletter for the good in life |
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