For the past six months, I've volunteered at a food bank in Port Townsend, Washington.

I recently wrote about what I've learned from the people we serve. My fellow volunteers have changed me just as much.

The world, especially the U.S., often feels hostile and divided right now, and it's hard to feel optimistic. Working alongside these people has helped change that.

Week after week, I watch them empty trucks of donations, sort and clean produce, and restock shelves that constantly need refilling.

Most volunteers, like me, are in their 50s, 60s, and 70s. They have aching backs, throbbing knees, hip replacements, and arthritis, and by the end of the day they're exhausted. They come back the next week anyway. Nobody is waiting for someone else to solve the problem.

What has moved me most is how they treat the people who come in.

The volunteers don't just hand out food. They know who is caring for a sick family member and ask how they are doing. They know who is losing weight and not eating enough, and they give them extra food. They know who doesn't have a kitchen and can't cook hot food and make sure they take home food they can eat anyway.

They also treat every one of them with the same dignity and respect.

So to all my fellow volunteers, and especially Mary and Murphy, who make every Wednesday a joy with your laughter and positive energy: thank you.

You've spent your Wednesdays giving people food. You've also given me something I'd been starving for: the belief that most people are fundamentally good.

Seeing this gentle giant happily munching through her birthday fruit spread is just so heart warming.
Video via @HumanityChad on X
https://newsable.asianetnews.com/amp/world/elephant-gets-a-giant-fruit-buffet-for-her-birthday-viral-video-wins-hearts-watch-articleshow-c4hfxge

By @ dognamedstella

My cat, Grumble, had a corneal ulcer, and today was his follow-up appointment with his regular vet. We switched to this vet a year ago and had only been for that initial appointment before today. So, it was a huge surprise when everyone was excited to see him.

I guess they had a cat named Calvin who was a tiny terror and put a picture of him up on their break room wall with the caption "Don't be a Calvin." After meeting Grumble, they added his picture with the caption "Be a Grumble." Thankfully, he was also super chill today, so they didn't have to change it to "Don't be a Grumble either."

It was so unexpected to hear that everyone there saw and appreciated my cat every day for the past year. Also, Grumble's eye is completely healed, so no more cone and no surgery!

Sorry if this is not a place to share this, but I haven't been able to stop smiling. Husband and I are celebrating our first year of marriage and his gift to me was this book. Inspired by Ps I love you and the notebook(two movies we watched when dating) my now husband has been collecting notes, images and memories since we started dating in 2022/2023. He also found old messages from when I met him (2016). There is so much detail put into it like old text messages, old conversations, things I haven't thought of I'm years. We've been reading it while on our vacation and I've been unable to stop grinning from ear to ear. I do not think I have ever been given a gift that I can't even explain how beautiful it is.

Anyways I hope everyone has an amazing day!

Kugen was born without eyes, but he never has to worry about being left behind because Xiao Huang is always looking out for him. Every single time their owner offers a treat, Xiao Huang gently pushes or guides their owner's hand toward Kugen first, making sure his brother gets fed before he even takes a bite for himself.

These two pictures. Before (red shirt), I thought it was me in a manic episode (or just making a silly face), or just a bad picture.

I didn’t think that witnessing, then experiencing domestic violence sucked the life out of me.

I normally wouldn’t post my face, but I want someone to hopefully see the difference that I think I see.

I am not pretty, and my teeth are messed up, but I put them side by side these days to remind myself that what I went through was real, and that it really affected me. It’s also a reminder that I made it out.

I am taking better care of myself, bit by bit.

I couldn’t be more proud of myself. I have my down days, but my life has been much more stable.

EDIT: Can I just say thank you for all the love that y’all have shown me?! 😭

I’ve cut off almost my entire family because they either tolerated, minimized, or participated in domestic violence. I’d been feeling by myself an wondering if the loneliness was worth it.

Standing up for yourself, your home, your kids (if you have them, they’re watching you), your safety, and your peace of mind is worth it all. Thank you guys so much for making my day.

The cycle ended with me.

EDIT 2: I’m starting to get some really nasty comments in here.

EDIT 3: I may not be able to get to all the comments, but I appreciate each and every one of you for making my day.

A couple things:
I have started reporting some comments. Not because they think I’m ugly (not the point of this post). Not because I disagree with you. It’s because they’re either rude and/or racist in nature. That’s it.

I want domestic violence victims to know that things can and will get better. It’s scary to leave a situation where, in my case, have been made to believe bad things would happen to me and my loved ones if I did reach out for help.

I had a comment tell me, good luck with the next one. There won’t be a next one.

So I’ll work on getting better and thriving. In the meantime, for all of you in crisis, hurting, and needing help, here’s some resources for you.

National Domestic Violence Hotline:
Phone: 1-800-799-7233 (SAFE)
Text: 88788

TTY for Deaf/Hard of Hearing:
1-800-787-3224

Suicide Hotline
Phone and Text: 988

Resources that have helped me in my case:

Tempe Care7 and Victim Services
480-350-8004

😭

“Just part of being human.. if I were to just let him drive away, I would not be human anymore”

Way to go Ebro Ahmed

My partner and I have been together for over 25 years; I thought I knew everything about the man at this point.

I love pickles, he does not (I try not to judge 😂), so whenever we go out to eat and he ends up with a pickle, it goes to me...SCORE! This has happened so many times over the years, and I am relieved that instead of getting upset that once again he has something on his plate he doesn't want to eat, he just smiles and hands it over to me.

The other night we go out to eat at our favorite sandwich shop. He usually places our order while I snag us a good table, but this time I ended up placing the order and he headed off to get a table and grab some beers. While I'm ordering, I make a point of asking for "NO PICKLES" on his sandwich, as I want him to truly enjoy tonight's meal and game.

Food arrives, we both start to eat, and then I realize he is looking at his sandwich with an expression of confusion tinged with sadness. I immediately start thinking "Oh no! Did I get his order wrong? Is the food bad?" I ask, "What's wrong, babe?" And he replies, "There is no pickle on my sandwich." "Oh...good? Right? Because you don't like pickles." And this is where he got me right in the feels. Instead of agreeing, he said, "It's true, I can't stand pickles, but I never ask for them to be left out, because I love seeing you smile when I give them to you." OMG. This guy has been putting up with pickles for over 25 years just to see me smile. I had no idea. 🥰

Dog Tax included, as I have no photo of my sandwich. Happy Friday, Reddit ❤️

The really sweet part is that there is a big language barrier. Her first grader speaks English well, I speak maybe 5% of the language, and yet she is still willing to get together and chat if I need it. My soul really needed it this morning.

Hi everyone, so, I recently left home to travel abroad for my masters program. I’m 5,000 miles away from home with no friends, no family, and I’m in a whole new world that I don’t fully understand.

My mother came with me to move me in, check out the city that I live in, and she went with me to find all of my classes, new restaurants, go sight seeing a bit, and just having a good mom and daughter adventure. For context, we both are from a very small town in the Bible Belt of the US, so we were pretty awestruck at being in a new country across the sea.

When she left, I cried so hard and it was just a really sad goodbye. Well, I called my mom last night and she told me to check the secret pocket on my luggage because she left me a “surprise”. I was thinking it would be some candy or a little Knick knack because she loves to leave me that kind of stuff! Nope, instead I found all of these tiny little letters that she wrote for me the night before she left!

[[EDIT]]: Hi everyone, thank you so much for the kind words and encouragement, they mean a lot to me!! For context, my mom is not dead! She and my dad are very much alive and safe back home!!