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inspiring

Joy

Instacart delivery person followed her instincts and ended up saving the life of a customer

"You're supposed to take a picture and leave, and I could not just leave."

Jessica Higgs had a sense that something wasn't right at a customer's house and her action saved his life.

One the more mysterious aspects of being human is our sense of intuition. This "sixth sense" isn't something we can see or measure, but many people have experienced it in some form or fashion. Maybe it comes as a strong feeling that something isn't right, or that we or someone else should or shouldn't do something. It can be hard to read—not every feeling we get is truly our intuition—but there are plenty of examples of people trusting their instincts and being glad they did.

One such story has gone viral on TikTok. Jessica Higgs, a mom who works as an Instacart grocery delivery person, shared a story in an emotional video that illustrates the importance of listening to that inner voice when it prompts you to make sure someone is OK.

"I just want to start this off by saying if you see something, say something," Higgs said.

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Joy

10 things that made us smile this week

Upworthy's weekly roundup of joy.

10 reasons to smile.

Since we're entering cold and flu season while also (still) trying to fend off COVID-19, we could all use some tips for boosting our immune system. We probably all know the standards—eating well, getting enough sleep, exercising—but did you know that joy can also give your immune system a kick?

According to the Mayo Clinic, laughter can release neuropeptides that can help prevent illness from becoming more serious and help fight stress that can weaken your immune system. A 2003 study found that people with more positive emotional states were less likely to develop a common cold, a 2015 study found that laugh therapy helped boost the immune response in women who had just given birth and multiple other studies have come to similar conclusions.

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Celebrity

Roger Federer's surprise retirement announcement is a masterclass in class

The tennis world bids farewell to one of its all-time greats.

"Roger Federer" by mirsasha is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

Roger Federer is retiring after a 24-year career in competitive tennis.

Confession: I'm not a huge tennis fan. I don't actively dislike the sport, I just don't follow it. I know the names of a handful of famous tennis players and admire the skill of those at the elite level, but I've never gotten into it as a spectator sport.

But even those of us who don't follow tennis know the name Roger Federer. We may not know his exact record, but we know he's one of the best of the best in the world of tennis. He's also a notoriously decent guy. I recently wrote about a sweet surprise Federer orchestrated for an up-and-coming young tennis player who had asked him to keep playing until they could compete together. But like everyone else, I had no idea that the timing of that surprise match was so meaningful.

On September 15, Federer announced that the Laver Cup tournament next week will be his final competition. After a 24-year career in which he won a whopping 20 Grand Slam singles titles, the 41-year-old "Swiss Maestro" is retiring from competitive tennis.

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Pop Culture

Watch the world's first female virtuoso kora player perform a beautiful West African love song

Sona Jobarteh and her band take listeners on a musical voyage in their version of "Jarabi."

If music be the food of love, play on.

“Jarabi," meaning “beloved,” is a popular West African song that was written after the country of Mali gained independence from the French in 1960. Rich in metaphors symbolizing the people’s love for their country and culture, the song was meant to instill a sense of “hope and resolve,” according to World Music in Education.

The essential sound of “Jarabi” comes from the kora, a 12-stringed harp dating back to the 18th century. In Mande tradition—meaning that of the Mande speaking peoples of western Africa, which includes the country of Mali—playing the kora professionally was an exclusive sacred right reserved for males in families of tribal storytellers known as griots.

That’s what makes this recently resurfaced viral video from May 2022 so unique.

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