
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.
\u201c\ud83d\udc40 Sneak a peek at the deepest & sharpest infrared image of the early universe ever taken \u2014 all in a day\u2019s work for the Webb telescope. (Literally, capturing it took less than a day!) This is Webb\u2019s first image released as we begin to #UnfoldTheUniverse: https://t.co/tlougFWg8B\u201d— NASA Webb Telescope (@NASA Webb Telescope) 1657578175
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.
\u201cdid anyone else catch the \u201cBest in Rescue Dog Show\u201d??? \n\nthey had a category for best underbite \ud83d\ude2d\ud83d\ude2d\ud83d\ude2d\ud83d\ude2d\ud83d\ude2d\u201d— kelly (@kelly) 1657131040
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.
from MadeMeSmile
“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.
\u201cWe celebrated 4th of July in Monterrey by going to a @USWNT game. \n@alexmorgan13 Luca is one of your biggest fans and loved seeing your two goals \u26bd\ufe0f\u201d— Ana Camelo Jackson (@Ana Camelo Jackson) 1657053046
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.
\u201c@bravenewmalden Happy Birthday Gerald. This is my daughter Flora who was born 12 weeks premature and has just come home to us at three months old. Hope she makes it to 104 too \ud83d\udc4d\u201d— Kevin Mills (@Kevin Mills) 1656951292
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!
There's a reason why some people can perfectly copy accents, and others can't
Turns out, there's a neurodivergent link.
A woman in black long sleeve shirt stands in front of mirror.
Have you ever had that friend who goes on vacation for four days to London and comes back with a full-on Queen's English posh accent? "Oooh I left my brolly in the loo," they say, and you respond, "But you're from Colorado!" Well, there are reasons they (and many of us) do that, and usually it's on a pretty subconscious level.
It's called "accent mirroring," and it's actually quite common with people who are neurodivergent, particularly those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). According Neurolaunch, the self-described "Free Mental Health Library," "Accent mirroring, also known as accent adaptation or phonetic convergence, is the tendency to unconsciously adopt the accent or speech patterns of those around us. This linguistic chameleon effect is not unique to individuals with ADHD, but it appears to be more pronounced and frequent in this population."
Essentially, when people have conversations, we're constantly "scanning" for information—not just the words we're absorbing, but the inflection and tone. "When we hear an accent, our brains automatically analyze and categorize the phonetic features, prosody, and intonation patterns," writes Neurolaunch. For most, this does result in copying the accent of the person with whom we're speaking. But those with ADHD might be more sensitive to auditory cues. This, "coupled with a reduced ability to filter out or inhibit the impulse to mimic…could potentially explain the increased tendency for accent mirroring."
While the article explains further research is needed, they distinctly state that, "Accent mirroring in individuals with ADHD often manifests as an unconscious mimicry of accents in social situations. This can range from subtle shifts in pronunciation to more noticeable changes in intonation and speech rhythm. For example, a person with ADHD might find themselves unconsciously adopting a Southern drawl when conversing with someone from Texas, even if they’ve never lived in the South themselves."
People are having their say online. On the subreddit r/ADHDWomen, a thread began: "Taking on accents is an ADHD thing?" The OP shares, "My whole life, I've picked up accents. I, myself, never noticed, but everyone around me would be like, 'Why are you talking like that??' It could be after I watched a show or movie with an accent or after I've traveled somewhere with a different accent than my 'normal.'
They continue, "Apparently, I pick it up fast, but it fades out slowly. Today... I'm scrolling Instagram, I watch a reel from a comedian couple (Darcy and Jeremy. IYKYK) about how Darcy (ADHD) picks up accents everywhere they go. It's called ADHD Mirroring??? And it's another way of masking."
(The OP is referring to Darcy Michaels and his husband Jeremy Baer, who are both touring comedians based in Canada.)
Hundreds of people on the Reddit thread alone seem to relate. One comments, "Omfg I've done this my whole life; I'll even pick up on the pauses/spaces when I'm talking to someone who is ESL—but English is my first language lol."
Sometimes, it can be a real issue for those around the chameleon. "I accidentally mimicked a waitress's weird laugh one time. As soon as she was out of earshot, my family started to reprimand me, but I was already like 'oh my god I don’t know why I did that, I feel so bad.'"
Many commenters on TikTok were shocked to find out this can be a sign of ADHD. One jokes, "Omg, yes, at a store the cashier was talking to me and she was French. She's like 'Oh are you French too? No, I'm not lol. I'm very east coast Canada."
And some people just embrace it and make it work for them. "I mirror their words or phrase! I’m 30. I realized I start calling everyone sweetie cause my manager does & I work at coffee shop."