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“May my heart be kind. May my mind be fierce. May my spirit be brave.” --Kate Forsythe
Hello everyone! In our stories this week, we learn about ordinary people that have made a big difference in the lives of others. A rap artist donates 50 thousand dollars to help residents behind on their rent bills. An Ohio man, struggling with cancer, receives heartwarming gifts from kids that ride the local school bus. And, in India, a deaf lawyer made history by being the first person with hearing loss to argue a case before the Supreme Court. All around us are positive, uplifting stories made so by everyday people doing their best to contribute to the quality of others' lives. May we be inspired by their kindness and courage, and hold the challenges we face with uncommon grace. Wishing you well!
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WAVY.com
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Iconic rapper Missy Elliott donated $50,000 to help 26 residents at the Portsmouth Housing Society who were behind on their rent on a day that celebrated her achievements. The rapper, who has won 5 Grammys and is the only female Hall of Fame rapper, dedicates her success to her hometown's life lessons and faith, saying: "Thank you, VA! Where I was born taught me to drive, taught me faith, taught me humility and also taught me, 'Don't try me either.' But most of all taught me the blessings I get are not just for me but to bless someone else." She gave much credit to her late mother, Patricia Elliott, who instilled her attitude of giving back and sharing. Gov. Glenn Youngkin recognized Oct. 17, 2022 as Missy Elliott Day in Virginia
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Jeffrey Moyo | IPS
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They do not have a pension nor money from families or relatives, but plastic waste helps them support themselves. In Harare's Glenora high density suburb. Tabeth Gowere, 76, and Elizabeth Makufa, 81, are famous as collectors who make money selling products made from plastic waste, and younger people are learning from them. Michelle Gowere, 40, who learned from her mother-in-law, uses the money for food for her children's school lunch boxes. For many like Makufa, collecting plastic waste has also turned out to be therapeutic. "These things that we make with our own hands using plastic waste help us to rest from mental stress owing to problems we have these days that strain us psychologically." The Harare City Council is pleased that people are seeing that there is money in plastic waste, but notes that "the duty to take care of our surroundings is not a prerogative of the council, but ordinary people as well."
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Sarah Sunny
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Sarah Sunny made history in early October when she became India's first deaf lawyer to argue in the country's Supreme Court, assisted by an interpreter the court appointed for her -- the first in its history. A resident of Bengaluru (formerly Bangalore), Sunny has practiced law for two years. In the city's lower courts, she submitted arguments in writing, as the judges thought interpreters would not understand legal terminology. In September, the high court said it would start appointing its own interpreters after another deaf lawyer asked for two sign language experts -- one for lawyers and one for the judges. Saurav Roychowdhury, who interpreted for Sunny, said the court's decision could mean that "the deaf will realize that they also have an equal right under the law." There are 18 million deaf or hard of hearing people in India.
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Cottonbro Studio } Pexels
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Listening to favorite songs could reduce people's perception of pain, and the most effective pain relievers are sad songs detailing bittersweet and emotional experiences, says a new study published in Frontiers in Pain Research. The small study invited 63 young adults to bring two of their favorite songs - one their favorite music of all time, and the other the song they would bring to a desert island. The researchers also had them pick one of seven songs the team considered relaxing which the participants did not know. People were more likely to report feeling less pain when listening to their favorite songs compared with the unfamiliar relaxing song or silence, and those who listened to bittersweet and moving songs felt less pain than when they listened to songs with calming or cheerful themes.
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Board of Education of Little Miami Local Schools
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A man fighting cancer in Ohio recently received a heartwarming surprise from the students on school bus 38. Since 2021, Tony Way had listened each school day at about 7:10 am as his friend, Tony McHale, a bus driver for Little Miami Schools, honked the horn to boost his friend's spirits. McHale became a bus aide after he had a pacemaker implanted but the new driver, Randy Hurst, agreed to continue the tradition. After learning that Way was recovering from major surgery, the students shouted and waved as the bus went by his house. The next time they asked about Way, McHale distributed colored paper and markers and the students made get well cards and shouted 'Get well, Tony' as the bus passed his house. "We teach our kids to always do the right thing, kindness, and helping each other out," says McHale.
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