A Llama In a Tuxedo And Other Reasons To Smile
Feel-good stories to counteract the constant barrage of bad news
Do you need a break from the never-ending stream of bad news? Some true stories to make you laugh and remind you that there’s still plenty of good in the world? I do and I thought you might, too, so here are a few of my favorite feel-good stories.
A Tuxedo-Wearing Llama
A bride’s mother invited a memorable guest to her daughter’s wedding: a llama. The animal was dressed for the occasion in a tuxedo and seemed to enjoy the festivities. He posed for photos with the happy couple and others in the wedding party. Go here to see for yourself.
“ J” the llama regularly gets invited to special events. He hosts gatherings at his place, too. If you’re in the Buffalo, New York area and want to party with J and his friends, Llama Adventures can make it happen.
A Unique Way To Increase Food Bank Donations
Since 2019, court officials in Butte, Montana have allowed defendants who donate 30 cans of food to the city’s Emergency Food Bank to reduce their court fines by $150. City Court Judge Jerome McCarthy says the food bank has received thousands of pounds of canned goods thanks to this option.
He’s noticed other benefits, too. The defendants feel better about themselves and the community supports the program.
Free Books For Preschoolers
Dolly Parton’s most impressive accomplishment isn’t her musical career. In 1995, she founded the Imagination Library. Back then, it only served children in her home county in Tennessee. Her idea was to send a free book every month to preschoolers to help them develop a love of reading. The project has since expanded to five countries and provides more than a million free books each month to kids around the world. (Source: Imagination Library website)
A 23-Year Search With a Happy Ending
A fellow passenger on a 1999 plane ride from Amsterdam to Minneapolis changed two sisters’ lives forever. Ayda and Vanja were 11 and 17-year-old refugees from Yugoslavia. A woman seated nearby handed them an envelope with a note that said she hoped they would be safe and happy in America. Inside was $100.
That kindness inspired the younger sister to spend years searching for the woman she knew only as Tracy.
In 2022, with help from refugee advocacy groups, social media, and CNN, Ayda Zugay finally found Tracy Peck. Zugay and her sister had a Zoom call with Peck in May of 2022.
A Teenager’s Unusual Wish Is Granted
13-year-old Abraham Olabegi became eligible to have a wish granted by the Make-A-Wish Foundation after being diagnosed with a rare blood disorder and receiving a bone marrow transplant.
His wish was quite unusual. He did not want a new PlayStation, a trip to Disney World, or anything else for himself. He chose to feed homeless people in his community for a year instead.
With help from the local chapter of Make-A-Wish, he got businesses to provide food and supplies. In September of 2021, he gave free meals to about 80 people in Jackson, Mississippi. As Abraham told CBS News,
“When the homeless people get the plate, some of them would come back and sing to us and thank us…And it just really feels good, it warms our hearts. And my parents always taught us that it’s a blessing to be a blessing.”
His year of funding from Make-A-Wish to provide those monthly meals ended in September of 2022, but that didn’t stop him. He created a GoFundMe page and donations have enabled him to continue feeding hungry people.
I hope the story and photos of the tuxedo-wearing llama made you laugh. I hope the stories about Dolly Parton, Tracy Peck, and Abraham Olabegi reminded you that there are still incredibly kind and generous people in the world.
Most of all, I hope these stories inspire you to be kind. I hope they encourage you to share funny stories in the comments or mention people who have helped you or someone you know.
We hear about cruel acts and tragic events every day; let’s shift our attention to acts of kindness and humorous events. They don’t make the news or get discussed on social media as often, so we forget that there are far more good things happening in the world than bad ones.
Let’s help each other remember.
P.S. If you know someone who could use a weekly dose of good news and helpful tips for coping with bad news, give them a gift subscription to “Changing Lives.” It’s a gift that keeps on giving!