Good Living Guide

Positive News Stories

Man Plays Classical Piano To Comfort Blind And Elderly Elephants

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Paul Barton is a gifted musician who plays for a highly select audience. He sits at a piano in the middle of an elephant sanctuary and plays classical music to elderly, blind elephants.

Barton has also done special concerts of Christmas music and music for baby elephants, but his special emphasis is on the old, blind and rescued elephants.

Man Plays Classical Piano To Comfort Blind And Elderly Elephants

Here’s How It All Began

Barton is a professional pianist and artist from the UK. In 1996, he traveled to Thailand. He intended to stay only three months, but his plans changed when he met and married his wife Khwan.

Barton’s wife is a noted animal welfare activist in Thailand, and she got him interested in helping Thailand’s elephants. He became enchanted with the elephants at Elephant World, many of whom had formerly been abused or neglected.

Man Plays Classical Piano To Comfort Blind And Elderly Elephants

Inspired to Serenade Elephants

Barton knew that some classical music can be peaceful and comforting, and he also knew that elephants are highly sensitive. He thought it might be worth trying a little musical experiment.

One of his first audience members was Ampan, an 80-year-old elephant who is blind in one eye. Barton says he will never forget her powerful reaction to his performance.

Spreading Love Through His Music

Since then, Barton’s life has totally changed. He has earned some well-deserved fame. He has a YouTube channel where he posts his professional work along with videos of his elephant concerts.

Barton’s decision to share his musical gifts with these abused, gentle and sensitive beasts has earned him a place in millions of hearts. Long may he play piano in the jungle.

 

Woman Finds Long-Lost Engagement Ring On A Carrot 13 Years Later

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You might not find buried treasure when you dig in your garden, but one woman found something she valued more than any pirate’s booty. She found the engagement ring she’d lost more than a decade earlier.

Woman Finds Long-Lost Engagement Ring On A Carrot 13 Years Later

Digging for Trouble

The story goes back 13 years. Mary Grams, who is now 84, was working on her family’s vegetable farm when her engagement ring slipped off her finger and into the dirt. Although she searched frantically for days, Grams never found the ring.

Grams swore her children to secrecy. She even bought an inexpensive, look-alike ring from a local jeweler to avoid telling her husband about her lost ring. Her husband died about five years later.

Lost and Found

One day, her granddaughter said she’d found a carrot growing around a ring in the same family garden plot. Sure enough, it was the long-lost ring. Grams recognized it immediately.

Carrots and Carats

Grams is not the first woman to find a lost ring in her carrot patch. In 1995, a Swedish woman named Lena Paahlsson found her ring wrapped around a carrot 16 years after she lost it.

So, what’s the moral of the story? It’s a good idea to eat your carrots. You never know what you might find wrapped around them.

Dramatic Horse Plays Dead Whenever People Try To Ride Him

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We’ve all had days when we’d rather not go our job, but would you go as far as playing dead to get out of working? That’s just one what lazy horse named Jingang routinely does.

Playing Dead Like a Possum

According to his owners, Jingang has perfected the art of acting like he’s dead. As soon as someone approaches him for a ride, he flops dramatically down on the ground, rolls onto his back and closes his eyes.

Horse Plays Dead

Instagram / Kritter Klub

They admit they were fooled the first time the sly horse pulled this move, but realized that as soon as they walked away, he jumped up and looked perfectly fine. It seems that some horses are like some people. They just don’t like to work, and they’re not going to do it willingly.

Tossing and Turning

The horse has even done his dead routine when someone’s already in the saddle and ready to ride. He tosses that rider right to the ground. As his trainers say, “He’s cute but naughty.”

Jingang’s incredible acting may not have won him an Oscar, but the video depicting his antics has racked up more than 2 million views. Jingang certainly has a career in show business if he wants one.

More Animal Stories You’ll Love

Goat Suffering From Anxiety Needs Her Duck Costume To Calm Down

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A little goat named Polly is melting hearts all over the internet and gaining sympathy for animals with disabilities everywhere.

Polly and Her Duck Costume

Instagram / Goats of Anarchy

A True Story

Polly is a blind goat and the star of her own children’s book, Polly and Her Duck Costume. The book tells the story of Polly’s rescue from a farm and arrival at Goats of Anarchy, a sanctuary in New Jersey.

When Polly’s rescuers realize that Polly only feels safe when she is wrapped in something warm, they make her a warm, fuzzy duck costume that she wears everywhere.

Polly and Her Duck Costume

Instagram / Goats of Anarchy

 

Although Polly feels safe in her duck costume, the day comes when she develops a new interest. When she meets a baby goat named Pippa, the two become best friends. Once that happens, Polly no longer needs her protective costume.

Get Out the Tissues

The video depicting Polly’s caretaker reading her own story to her is one of the most charming, heart-tugging things you’ll see on any screen of any size.

Get the tissues out for this one, we’re warning you!

You can buy the book about Polly on Amazon.

How to Help

Goats of Anarchy is a farm sanctuary that specializes in caring for disabled and special needs goats. If you’d like to help Polly, Pippa and the other goats, you can make a donation or buy goat-themed merchandise.

More Animal Stories You’ll Love

Man Writes Poem Called ‘Pennies From Heaven’ To Honor His Grandfather

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Writer Charles Mashburn has penned an unforgettable tribute to his grandfather in a touching poem titled “Pennies From Heaven”.

Mashburn is the author of several suspense novels and a devotional titled Be Still…And Know I am God. His poem about his grandfather has appeared on hundreds of websites and inspired millions of people.

Pennies From Heaven

The Origin of the ‘Pennies From Heaven’ Story

The poem is based on a short story he wrote about his grandfather. In the story, four-year-old Mashburn takes a walk with his grandfather shortly after his grandmother’s death.

As Mashburn tells it, his grandfather kept picking up pennies he spotted on the road. When the little boy asked why, his grandfather answered,

“I believe that all found pennies come from heaven. God gives them to his angels, you see, and when an angel, in this case your grandma, looks down here and sees you’re missing her, she tosses one of her pennies down so you’ll know she’s thinking about you.”

Ongoing Inspiration

Mashburn says he is still amazed at his poem’s impact.

“Several times a year, it will pop up on Facebook, or someone will send me an email asking if they can use it on a product or in a book,” Mashburn notes. “I never say no because I figure, if it blesses folks, who am I to stop it from doing so?”

Pennies from Heaven

 I found a penny today,

Just laying on the ground.

But it’s not just a penny,

This little coin I’ve found.

Found pennies come from heaven.

That’s what my Grandpa told me.

He said “Angels toss them down.”

Oh, how I loved that story.

He said when an angel misses you,

They toss a penny down,

Sometimes just to cheer you up,

To make a smile out of a frown.

So don’t pass by that penny

When you’re feeling blue;

It may be a Penny from Heaven

That an Angel’s tossed to you.

Copyright © 1998 C Mashburn

Middle School Athletes Defend Bullied Cheerleader With Down Syndrome

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Three young athletes from Wisconsin have won a prestigious award for defending a girl with Down Syndrome who was being bullied.

Middle School Athletes Defend Bullied Cheerleader With Down Syndrome

Youtube / Mike Bush

The Three Musketeers

Scooter Terrien, Chase Vasquez and Miles Rodriguez are best friends and basketball stars at Lincoln Middle School in Kenosha, Wisconsin. The three are so close that their schoolmates refer to them as the Three Musketeers.

One day, the Musketeers showed the true meaning of friendship when they took a stand together to help a fellow student who was being bullied.

Middle School Athletes Defend Bullied Cheerleader With Down Syndrome

Youtube / Mike Bush

Cheerleading Dreams

Desiree Andrews is also a student at Lincoln. Desiree, who has Down Syndrome, wanted nothing more than to be a cheerleader.

Her father told People magazine that Desiree was a huge fan of the TV show Glee, which featured a character with Down Syndrome who was a cheerleader. Her family was thrilled when she won a spot on the cheerleading squad.

Middle School Athletes Defend Bullied Cheerleader With Down Syndrome

Desiree Andrews
Photo: KDSK

Standing Up to Bullies

Unfortunately, some people at the basketball games didn’t think a girl with Down Syndrome should be cheerleading. One day, a group of these bullies began mocking Desiree.

When they noticed this, the Three Musketeers stopped the game, walked over to the bullies and told them to stop. They made it clear they wouldn’t allow anyone to pick on Desiree.

After that, the gymnasium at Lincoln Middle became known as “Dee’s house,” and chants about Dee’s house rang out at every game.

A Well-Deserved Award

The three basketball players received a Musial Award, which goes to athletes who have shown exceptional kindness and humanity. They traveled to St. Louis to receive the award.

Quackers The Duck and Max The Malamute Become Best Friends

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Some people say that loneliness is a power that we possess to give or take away forever. Apparently, the animal world understands that too. Witness the unusual friendship of Max the malamute and Quackers the duck.

Quackers The Duck and Max The Malamute Become Best Friends

John Lauritsen / CBS Minnesota

Small Town Charm Gone Viral

The unlikely pair live in the small town of Strout, MN, population 25, with their owners Patrick and Kirsten Riley. On most days, passersby will see Max and Quackers wandering together on their owners’ property on Highway 28 or sitting on a favorite patch of grass. When passing by, locals hope to catch a glimpse of the duo and snap a photo, which ultimately gets sent to the Rileys.

Max was five years old when the Rileys adopted him and for a time he was pals with Sasha the Husky. After Sasha died, however, Max was lost without his canine companion. Everything changed when the Rileys brought home Quackers one day. Quackers had lost friends too, which could explain their inseparable bond.

Friendship Blossoms

Max started by sitting near Quackers’ cage everyday. Eventually, once Quackers grew, the Rileys let him out of the cage and the two have been inseparable ever since. The duo does everything together, eat, drink and sleep. You name it. Max is getting old, so the pair may not have much time left, yet their journey together has made memories for many.

Grandfather With Vitiligo Crochets Dolls To Boost Children’s Self-Esteem

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When one grandfather took up crocheting as a retirement hobby, he had no idea it would lead to a whole new career creating inspiring, life-changing dolls for children and adults.

 

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A post shared by João Stanganelli Junior (@joaostanganelli) on

Making a Memory

Joao Stanganelli, Jr., a 64-year-old Brazilian man, wanted to give his granddaughter a memory of himself that would be more meaningful than a photograph. He decided to make her a crochet doll.

Stanganelli has vitiligo, a skin condition that causes the skin to lose pigmentation unevenly. When he made the doll, he named her Vitiliga and gave her the same white patches he had.

Inclusion and Self-Esteem

His granddaughter and her friends loved the doll. Soon, children and adults with vitiligo were asking for their own dolls.

Stanganelli and his wife estimate they have made more than 200 dolls for people with skin conditions, physical disabilities, visual impairment and other things that made them feel left out, embarrassed or ashamed.

 

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A post shared by João Stanganelli Junior (@joaostanganelli) on

“I want to give them representation and self-esteem,” he said.

He’s Still Crocheting Away

Stanganelli uses the amigurumi method of crocheting. Amigurumi items tend to be soft and fluffy, which makes them especially comforting.

His Instagram page features dozens of children posing with their doll replicas. The busy grandfather says he’s still working hard, but now he gets to work at something that brings joy to himself and others.

 

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Company Makes ‘Hug-A-Hero’ Dolls For Children With Deployed Parents

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A design studio located in Jacksonville, North Carolina, has launched an effort to help children cope with the military deployment of a parent. Surprisingly, the response to its giveaway of “hug-a-hero” dolls has been overwhelming.

hug-a-hero dolls

Daddy Dolls / Facebook

Overwhelming Community Support

Fifteen years ago, Dyal Studios owner Tricia Dyal started the Daddy Dolls business with a friend. This doll company makes hug-a-hero dolls, which are printed with pictures of the receiving children’s deployed parents.

Dyal’s husband is a retired Marine, and she started making the dolls when her great aunt made something similar for her daughter while her husband was away. When many North Carolina troops were deployed in early January, she started a drawing to give one doll to a local family each week for 12 weeks.

hug-a-hero dolls

Daddy Dolls / Facebook

Unexpectedly, Dyal Studios received more than 500 requests for the dolls. On top of that, the community banded together to donate dolls to children. In fact, she told The News & Observer that one of her clients donated $5,000 to the giveaway.

Because of this overwhelming support, the giveaway has become too big for Dyal Studios to draw one name every week. Dyal says that she may try to team up with The American Red Cross or United Services Organizations to distribute the dolls. Then, they can help children outside of Jacksonville too.

Anyone Can Sponsor a Child

Anyone who wants to support the hug-a-hero dolls effort can visit the Daddy Dolls website to sponsor a child. In addition, the dolls can be sponsored for more than military children. Hospitalized children and other civilian kids in need can be sponsored as well.

hug-a-hero dolls

Daddy Dolls / Facebook