Hugs are finally coming back in style. It’s scientifically proven that an affectionate embrace can lower stress throughout the day, or make us feel better after times of conflict. I’m not a big hugger myself, and I know I’m not alone. Plenty of us can do without the trickle of polite social side hugs or prolonged, vise-like embraces. But there’s a type of hug that always feels healing; when someone you love or trust wraps you in their arms. You let out a breath, your tension melts away, and suddenly the world feels just a little bit less harsh.

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Our favorites this week

Get going with some of our most popular good news stories of the week

A family affair
Michele Fletcher, a Virginia nurse and mother of seven, has lived her entire life helping others. Now, she’s recruited four of her sons to join her on the pandemic front lines. When Covid-19 vaccines started becoming available, Fletcher’s employer Arlington Public Health sent out a hiring message looking for help running vaccination sites. Fletcher gathered her sons Michael, Kyle, Brendan and Nick, whose jobs were all impacted by the pandemic, “It just was like, 'Hey, guys, we need you.’” Fletcher said. “Here's an opportunity for you to do some good in the community and have jobs that are meaningful.” The four men started working in different positions, and even got the thrill of getting vaccinated by their own mom. They immediately took to their new careers. and now that giving back is the family business, the Fletchers say they’re closer than ever.

Ducks on parade
Every spring, the students of Eisenhower Elementary in Hopkins, Minnesota get an adorable surprise when a mother duck sets up her home in the school’s courtyard and hatches a bevy of tiny, tittering ducklings. This tradition has been going on for twenty years now, from one mother mallard to the next, and is so beloved that a pair of parents from the school recently wrote and illustrated a children’s book about it. For the students, the best part is when the ducklings parade from the courtyard through the school’s halls to a pond beyond the building. (After all, how do you get a gaggle of flightless babies from one place to the next?) You absolutely must watch video of this plumed promenade, put together by KARE in Minneapolis.

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Natural beauty
A wildlife photographer is reclaiming an outdated term to remind people of the joys of animal photography. The “Big 5” used to be a gruesome term to describe the five animals most wanted by trophy hunters in Africa: the lion, rhino, buffalo, elephant and leopard. British photographer Graeme Green set up a new “Big 5” project to find out the public’s five favorite animals to see in pictures. After a year-long vote with 50,000 entries, the results are in. Elephants and lions are an interesting overlap from the old “Big 5” list to the new, and they are joined by gorillas, tigers and polar bears. Each of the species in the new “Big 5” are classified as critically endangered, endangered or vulnerable, and Green says photography can help educate people about these threats. In the process, a term that used to mean death for animals now means education, appreciation and life.

Heroes among us

By the time CNN Hero Hector Guadalupe was a teenager, he'd lost both parents and ended up spending 10 years in prison for drug trafficking. On the inside, he chased the only things that made his incarceration bearable: fitness, and the dream of working in one of Manhattan’s elite gyms when he was released. Finding a job on the outside, however, was difficult because of his past. While Guadalupe prevailed and eventually made a name for himself in the New York fitness scene, he knew he couldn’t leave others like him behind. His non-profit, A Second U Foundation, helps formerly incarcerated men and women get certified as personal trainers and build careers in the fitness industry. More than 200 people have graduated from his training program since 2016. Guadalupe says the reason for his students’ success is simple: Give people a chance, give them livable wages and the ability to build a skill, and they will flourish.

Wanna get away?

Now that travel restrictions are starting to ease in Europe, it’s time to plan that next unforgettable European vacation (even if you’re only going in your mind). The craggy coastline of Italy’s Cinque Terre is draped with vineyards and studded with mosaics of colorful houses that beckon the imagination to explore the winding streets within. It’s also one of CNN Travel’s top places to visit in 2021. Fun fact: The precipitous cliffs of the region inspired the poet Dante’s vision of purgatory. Surely, though, a visit to this picturesque region would be nothing short of divine.

Who knew?

"Sleep stories” have become a very popular way for people to calm down as they drift into dreamland. However, the minds behind popular sleep apps like Calm and Headspace say there’s a specific science to their narratives. If a story is too boring, people won’t get lost in it. If it’s too interesting, they won’t fall asleep. Sometimes, there’s no plot at all, and the story focuses on popular chill-out topics like travel, cozy cabins or nature -- often with soothing background sounds. Writers avoid any words that could alarm people (so definitely no sleep stories about spiders). Even a word like “airplane” could jolt people out of their reverie. Instead of sharp consonants, writers fill their wordscapes with soft, lyrical words like “hush” and “snug.” And of course, it doesn’t hurt to get a popular celebrity with a nice voice, like Idris Elba or Matthew McConaughey, to lend their dulcet tones to the mix.