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10 things that made us smile this week

This week's roundup of joy and delight.

10 things that made us smile this week

Upworthy's weekly roundup of joy.

This week, the team here at Upworthy had the incredible honor of meeting one of humanity's best. Civil rights leader and nonviolence educator Reverend Dr. James M. Lawson, who worked alongside Martin Luther King Jr. and John Lewis to change the course of American history, came to our office and shared some of his wisdom with us.

At 93, Rev. Lawson has experienced the range of our nation's ups and downs. He has also witnessed the power of people coming together for good. When asked where people should start, he shared the importance of community as a catalyst for change. We can all build community no matter where live, starting with our own families and neighborhoods, our social circles, groups and organizations we belong to, and beyond.


Sometimes, building community looks like big, bold initiatives, but more often it looks like creating simple connections—engaging in small acts of service, reaching out with a kind word or sharing a warm smile. When we consistently look for ways to connect and build bonds between people, we'll find them.

One thing that brings people together, pretty much universally, is joy. “Laughter is the closest distance between two people," as musician and comedian Victor Borge wrote, but we don't even have to laugh out loud to connect. When we experience something joy-inducing as a collective, we create a shared experience that taps into our basic humanity and reminds us of what we have in common.

As you enjoy this week's list of 10 things that made us smile, picture all of the people who are experiencing the same smiles and laughter you are. Let's create a virtual community of joy, right here in this moment.

1. We have a new, incredible view of our universe—or at least a tiny-yet-ginormous piece of it.

This image from the Webb telescope, the largest telescope in human history, gives us a never-before-seen view of space—or at least a tiny sliver of it. According to Vox, what's captured in this image is the equivalent of a grain of sand being held out at arm's length if you were looking at the night sky, which is mind-blowing considering the fact that almost all of the blobs in the image are entire galaxies. Wowsers.

2. The vastness of the universe is amazing, but so is a tiny butterfly on a tiny human.

@amarana91

Miggin found BLUTTAFLY… you will not regret watching this ☺️🥹 #fyp #butterfly #cute

"Are you okay bluttafly?" STAHP IT.

3. The American Rescue Dog Show celebrates unique doggos with adorable prizes like Best in Belly Rubs, Best in Snoring and Best in Underbite.

Instead of the pedigree, grooming and training that the Westminster Dog Show highlights, the American Rescue Dog Show celebrates the average adopted doggo's sweet quirks. Check out the full story here.

4. Anthropologist Grover Krantz donated his body to science on one condition—that his dog be included.

“I’ve been a teacher all my life,” Krantz told the Smithsonian, “and I think I might as well be a teacher after I’m dead, so why don’t I just give you my body.” It's true.

5. This kid is having the best sleep of his life—or anyone's life, for that matter.

Pretty sure this is what heaven looks like. Gracious.

6. Little Luca cheering for US women's soccer star Alex Morgan— ("Aleh Morgaaaaan!") is the cutest thing everrrrr.

Toddler fans are the best fans. And the Ted Lasso shirt is just a cherry on top of this little sundae of delight. Read the full story here.

7. A guy asked for 104 birthday wishes for his dad who was turning 104. He got thousands.

Gerald got bombarded with birthday messages from all over the world, but there's something about this preemie newborn baby wishing a 104-year-old man a happy birthday that feels so beautiful. Gerald and Flora out here making us smile about the full circle of life. Love it.

8. A man surprised his parents after being away for three years and his mom's reaction is so precious.

There's nothing like a mother's love. (Somebody pass the tissue box, please.)

9. This guy's engagement ring shenanigans leading up to his proposal were hilariously adorable.

Click the right arrow to scroll through. The one with the ring in the palm of her hand while she's sleeping is just too much.

10. May your day be as blissful as this chihuahua being bathed with toothbrushes.

That tongue sticking out! Apparently being washed with a toothbrush reminds them of being bathed by their mom. I can't handle it. May we all be so pampered.

If this roundup made you smile or laugh or both, create more bonds of joy by passing it along. And definitely come back next Friday for another top 10 for the week!

The gaze of the approving Boomer.

Over the past few years, Baby Boomers (1946 to 1964) have been getting a lot of grief from the generations that came after them, Gen X (1965 to 1980), Millenials (1981 to 1996), and now, Gen Z (1997 to 2012). Their grievances include environmental destruction, wealth hoarding, political polarization, and being judgemental when they don’t understand how hard it is for younger people to make it in America these days.

Every Baby Boomer is different, so it's wrong to paint them all with a broad brush. But it’s undeniable that each generation shares common values, and some are bound to come into conflict.

However, life in 2023 isn’t without its annoyances. Many that came about after the technological revolution put a phone in everyone’s hands and brought a whole new host of problems. Add the younger generations' hands-on approach to child rearing and penchant for outrage, and a lot of moden life has become insufferanble.

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And then there are the kids were simply born for the spotlight. You know them when you see them.

When Dirkco Jansen van Nieuwenhuizen hopped on stage with all of the other brothers and sisters of the dance students at René’s Art of Dance in South Africa, no one expected a viral sensation. According to Capetown Etc, it was the school's year-end concert, and siblings were invited to come up and dance to Bernice West’s Lyfie—a popular song in Afrikaans. And Dirkco, who goes by Klein Kwagga, took the assignment and ran with it.

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Lots of people give plenty of advice to help you cope in the early days but after the baby arrives, the focus shifts to solely the baby. It's obviously not a deliberate shift. Babies are just more shiny and new that the parents. But not everyone forgets about the parents once baby makes their grand entrance–some go out of their way to make sure the parents feel supported.

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Formerly enslaved man's response to his 'master' wanting him back is a literary masterpiece

"I would rather stay here and starve — and die, if it come to that — than have my girls brought to shame by the violence and wickedness of their young masters."

A photo of Jordan Anderson.

In 1825, at the approximate age of 8, Jordan Anderson (sometimes spelled "Jordon") was sold into slavery and would live as a servant of the Anderson family for 39 years. In 1864, the Union Army camped out on the Anderson plantation and he and his wife, Amanda, were liberated. The couple eventually made it safely to Dayton, Ohio, where, in July 1865, Jordan received a letter from his former owner, Colonel P.H. Anderson. The letter kindly asked Jordan to return to work on the plantation because it had fallen into disarray during the war.

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The letter mentions a "Miss Mary" (Col. Anderson's Wife), "Martha" (Col. Anderson's daughter), Henry (most likely Col. Anderson's son), and George Carter (a local carpenter).

Dayton, Ohio,
August 7, 1865
To My Old Master, Colonel P.H. Anderson, Big Spring, Tennessee

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