At this moment in time, the world is a scary place. While Israel engages in war against Hamas, hate crimes against Jews and Muslims alike are occurring all over the world. The internet is no exception. Antisemitism is all over your feeds, the news is filled with misinformation, gruesome images are being shared, and you might be discovering that your supposed “activist” friends are just as ignorant as everyone else. It’s a lot to process, and it’s hard to stop scrolling, even though you just want it all to stop. 

While I can’t make everything better, I wanted to share some recent good news to hopefully give you a short break from all the bad in the world. Here are some happy things that have happened in the past few weeks! Feel free to click on the attached sources to learn more about any of the stories. 

‍

• A Philippine spotted deer was born recently at England’s Chester Zoo, much to the excitement of conservationists, seeing as they are one of the world’s rarest animals. The species is part of a new specialized breeding program that is working to protect and continue the planet’s most endangered populations. The deer, named Hercules by the zookeepers, is pictured above. (source: Good News Network) 

• Canadian entrepreneur Marcel LeBrun sold his company for millions of dollars and is now using that money to make a difference in his hometown of Fredericton, New Brunswick. He built the 12 Neighbours factory that is finishing one tiny home every 4 days to help the homeless population of Fredericton get back on their feet. The tiny homes are fully equipped with a kitchen, living room, bedroom, and bathroom, and they even have solar panels on the brightly painted roofs. The homes are all in a small gated community full of other tiny houses as well as a few businesses where people can get jobs. (source: Good News Network)  
• Calling all music lovers! A new study shows that listening to your favorite music can help ease physical pain. While music can’t cure any physical ailments, it has been proven to slightly lessen your symptoms. Specifically, emotional and moving songs have had test subjects experiencing the best results. The brain’s ability to acknowledge both emotions and physical pain allows it to regulate what a person is focused on feeling while experiencing the two simultaneously.   (source: CNN)
• Google has launched a tool that uses satellite images to graph geographical areas and predict when floods are coming. This past year, over 45 million safety alerts were sent in India and Bangladesh alone. This technology has already assisted in many life-saving evacuations. (source: Good News Network )
• Chicago marathon runner Sarah Bohan gave up a record finish when she saw a stray kitten on the side of the road mid-race. She stopped to pick up the kitty and held him as she walked through the finish line. After the race, spectator Andrea Maldonado took the kitten in and gave it a permanent home. (source: Good News Network)