post written by: Marc
40 Extraordinary Things Happening Right Now
Right now is a phenomenon. Right now extraordinary things are happening.
Right now…
- A soldier of sorts is diligently fighting the fight so you don’t have to.
- Someone who suffered from a severe injury last year is back on their feet.
- A small group of people are building something that will soon make the impossible possible.
- Somewhere on Earth a double rainbow is stretched from one end of the horizon to the other.
- One of the next Billboard-chart-topping musical artists is patiently rehearsing in her garage.
- A piece of literature is being written that will eventually change your perspective on life.
- Young children all over the world are singing and dancing before they even realize there is anything that isn’t music.
- A friend is helping a friend rise above thoughts of suicide.
- Someone is thinking what you’re thinking, but hasn’t said anything yet either.
- Two people in your hometown are falling in love.
- Somewhere someone is admiring a breathtaking sunrise, and somewhere else a surreal sunset.
- People of various religious backgrounds are in temples, churches, mosques and other places of worship praying, wholeheartedly, for world peace.
- Someone who has struggled with their weight for the last several years is standing on a scale and smiling.
- Hundreds of cute elderly couples are celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary.
- A baby girl just took her first few steps without falling.
- Two best friends are laughing so hard they aren’t even making any noise.
- A future world leader is in grade school at recess.
- Someone is in the process of sincerely forgiving a seemingly unforgivable act.
- There’s a kid studying hard somewhere who aspires to get to where you are in life.
- A firefighter is running into a burning building to rescue a perfect stranger.
- Someone in your vicinity genuinely wants to be your friend.
- A young mom is lying in a hospital bed and holding her newborn baby twins for the very first time.
- Someone is taking a shower and singing happily at the top of their lungs.
- There is someone out there who smiles when they think of a specific moment they once shared with you.
- An alcoholic just celebrated one full year of sobriety.
- Volunteers in major cities all over the world are working at homeless shelters caring for those who are less fortunate than themselves.
- A young man is pulled over on the side of the road helping a young woman change a flat tire.
- A high school athlete just broke her own personal record.
- Two teenagers just received their very first kiss ever from each other.
- A husband and wife who were drowning in debt five years ago proudly hold a balance of zero on their credit cards.
- Someone is hugging a friend who desperately needs it.
- A new small business owner just wrapped up his first profitable year working for himself.
- A grandfather is holding his granddaughter’s hand and they’re both smiling from ear to ear.
- Someone just placed their spare change in the charity collection cup at the grocery store.
- A small group of friends are sitting around a table sharing funny stories and cheerfully reminiscing about the good old days.
- A breast cancer patient just found out her cancer is in complete remission.
- Someone out there is missing you and looking forward to your next visit.
- Honest people are working for various government entities to help protect your basic human rights and civil liberties.
- An emergency room surgeon is in the middle of saving his patient’s life.
- Someone is holding the door open for the person behind them.
Right now is a new beginning. Right now is an opportunity.
Do something extraordinary.
If you enjoyed this article and are seeking further inspiration, I highly recommend Gives Me Hope: 127 Most Inspiring Bite-Sized Stories
Photo by: NASA
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86 Comments
January 3rd, 2011 at 3:17 am
This one made me especially smile:
Someone out there is missing you and looking forward to your next visit.
This is so true. You don’t realize it until you wake up to text msgs such as “thanks for not calling,” “Where are you?” Every night someone is wondering where you are. Whether they contact you or not is a different story.
January 3rd, 2011 at 4:22 am
it seems almost funny i think i’ve thought of all these things some time in my life
January 3rd, 2011 at 5:45 am
It’s amazing how much good is happening in the world today; everything we can possibly think of is happening somewhere on this planet.
Thanks for sharing
January 3rd, 2011 at 10:22 am
This list was really affecting, it put things into perspective for me. Thank you!
January 3rd, 2011 at 11:36 am
Looking at this list helps me see a different perspective on life. I don’t always think about the amazing moments that are happening each and every day.
Getting caught up in what I need down the road sometimes makes me lose focus of the great things that I can do today.
Thanks for the inspiration.
January 3rd, 2011 at 12:29 pm
This is one of the best posts I have read on a blog in awhile… you rock !!!
January 3rd, 2011 at 12:43 pm
Really inspiring! Amazing thoughts!
Thanks.
January 3rd, 2011 at 2:09 pm
number 19) : I am that kid, but I’m slacking off
January 3rd, 2011 at 2:34 pm
This post is beautiful. Thanks for sharing.
January 3rd, 2011 at 4:34 pm
… and somewhere someone is reading your blog and is reminded that extraordinary things happen to ordinary people … just like them! One persons ordinary is another persons extraordinary.
January 3rd, 2011 at 6:33 pm
When you put it like that, it makes life seem all the more amazing and makes one feel grateful to be alive.
January 3rd, 2011 at 7:33 pm
I must say… since I discovered your blog sometime last year, I’ve probably read every single article, most more than once. This is by far my favorite. As a “young person”, I would like to thank you for this and all of the other posts you have made. They’ve definitely had a huge impact on my life.
January 3rd, 2011 at 11:00 pm
… “Someone is looking forward to Tomorrow, who thought they’d never see Today.”
I love this site: the articles, the comments that follow and the intention that gives it such Life.
Peace in this New Year. It’s only just Beginning.
January 4th, 2011 at 1:37 am
I would have liked this a lot more if you hadn’t said “A young man is pulled over on the side of the road helping a young woman change a flat tire.”…
In the same way that many men do NOT know how to change a tire, many women DO. Don’t stereotype.
January 4th, 2011 at 2:30 am
@Contrarian: You just wrote one of the more poetic comments left on our blog in recent times. It made me smile. Thanks.
@Larissa: I like your quote too.
@Ren: The young man could have been a young woman and the young woman could have been a young man. I’m not stereotyping. It’s simply how I setup that specific scenario. Just like the Billboard-chart-topping musical artist who is patiently rehearsing in her garage could have easily been rehearsing in his garage. Or the baby girl who took her first few steps could have been a baby boy. Anyway, I hope I didn’t offend you. It certainly wasn’t my intention.
@All: Thank you for the continued support. Your positive remarks and insights continue to inspire Angel and I. Happy 2011!
January 4th, 2011 at 6:33 am
Great list. I did notice that you used the “hers” instead of “hims” for a number of the examples, and believe it or not, it stuck out– and was appreciated. And as long as someone is stopping to help someone else change a tire, then it is good and right. Or to help someone out of a car that has slid into a ditch off the side of the road…anything like that, done by anyone, is amazing these days.
January 4th, 2011 at 7:11 am
Exceptional as always!!
I love you guys,
Happy New Year.
Joshua
January 4th, 2011 at 3:56 pm
I must say, i ran in to this blog couple of years ago, since then i have visited it frequently. It’s stories like these that inspire people around the world. Thanks for sharing. Its Amazing that how such beautiful things are happening around the world !!! only if we could realize all this…. Life is indeed beautiful.
January 4th, 2011 at 6:13 pm
I came across this site a few weeks ago and have thoroughly enjoyed it. I think I’ve read through nearly every article but this one has been, by far, the one that has had me actually smiling, yes SMILING, at the screen - and I wanted to thank you for it. Number 37 struck home with me - I reconnected with an old friend recently and definitely feel this way for them. Thank you again.
January 5th, 2011 at 8:17 am
Hi Marc,
Thank you for putting up this inspirational list. Sometimes we focus on things that only matter to us while somewhere, a life has been touched by a good deed or a kind gesture.
January 5th, 2011 at 10:51 am
Very inspiring…made my day! Thank you for sharing!
January 5th, 2011 at 12:31 pm
This list is awesome. So many people are waiting for something special to happen *someday* when that day IS today for somebody, and it just might be for you!
I got goosebumps while reading this!
Bernice
8 week Journey to Balance
January 6th, 2011 at 1:53 pm
Marc, great list, my friend. You’ve got a great perspective. I recently wrote something similar about the need to change our definition of reality (We too often hear the word “reality” in a negative light.) The REALITY is that tons of awesome things happen every day!
Really like #30! Cheers!
January 6th, 2011 at 2:29 pm
I love this! I really neeeeded this today
Here is something else amazing: my friend just survived an aortic aneurysm! Her doctors are doing the best they can for her as she rehabs, but it’s all new ground because no one has ever survived this before. Isn’t that incredible? Her name is Melissa, and I know she’d love everyone’s good thoughts and prayers.
January 7th, 2011 at 2:50 am
To laugh so hard and not make any noise is pretty intense. I have to do this more often. Once the tears stream down, I know…I’m in the a moment in time where life is truly worth living. Cheers to you Angel and Marc. Your blog has come a long way…Happy 2011.
January 8th, 2011 at 1:10 pm
I wanted to thank you for the thought-provoking content. I’ve become a regular reader here and I’m glad to have discovered such a beautiful list.
I particularly liked this one:
“A small group of friends are sitting around a table sharing funny stories and cheerfully reminiscing about the good old days.”
January 8th, 2011 at 5:50 pm
You are AWESOME!!
Thanks so much to both of you for sharing your inspiriational wisdom with the world.
January 9th, 2011 at 5:32 am
“Young children all over the world are singing and dancing before they even realize there is anything that isn’t music.” How beautiful.
For a few moments, I rose above my mundane daily thoughts about how much I hate X and why my life isn’t going right to just Stop and Smile and Feel and Be..
Thank you.
January 9th, 2011 at 10:28 pm
This gave me a much needed smile, thank you.
January 13th, 2011 at 2:02 pm
This is fabulous. A friend shared your 1/10 post on Facebook and now you’ve got yourself a new follower.
January 19th, 2011 at 5:51 pm
wow…just love this….really never think about all this..”Right now is a new beginning. Right now is an opportunity”…Thank you for sharing!
January 21st, 2011 at 9:55 pm
Such a beautiful list.
And for:
10. Two people in your hometown are falling in love.
One of those people is me.
ahaha
January 22nd, 2011 at 9:44 am
wow that really changed my perspective on life
January 22nd, 2011 at 10:52 pm
I read 18.Someone is in the process of sincerely forgiving a seemingly unforgivable act.
just as I was talking to a best friend who completely betrayed my trust and I didn’t think I would be able the accept their apology. That made me decide to let it go.
January 25th, 2011 at 12:30 am
I have recently been going through a rough time, and reading this really puts things into perspective. Lately I’ve been thinking, “poor me” to everything, but after reading this I want to go do some good for someone else. Thanks for sharing!
January 25th, 2011 at 1:20 am
Someone out there is missing you and looking forward to your next visit.
This.
I am a Freshman in college in a state far from my home.
My mom has texted me many times saying she misses me.
I miss her and my little sister.
My little sister is visiting me this week.
I’m looking forward to it.
January 26th, 2011 at 3:14 pm
A friend of mine shared this link on Facebook - thank you for posting! I like the thought of future musicians and influential writers busy working on making their dreams come true in their home garages or at little library desks. I realize that even the most mundane or challenging events in one’s life can simply be a small rung in the ladder to success, and each one of those moments counts.
I look forward to exploring the rest of this blog.
-Kait
January 28th, 2011 at 12:07 am
I live in a city that is constantly moving fast every second of the day. Most people don’t stop to think about how wonderful life is and how amazing people can be. These posts help me and many others to stop and think about how people can unknowingly change the lives of others. No matter how bad your life is ,someone has a harder life. Be positive and love life, Thanks for the good thoughts
January 30th, 2011 at 9:52 am
I really enjoyed this list of all the good that is going on in the world. It’s rare to hear/read about these things because what people tend to focus on is the negative things in life. The world and everything in it is a beautiful thing. You just have to be willing to look for the beauty.
January 30th, 2011 at 10:24 pm
I so dig this list!!
February 2nd, 2011 at 10:53 am
This one is too good…
February 2nd, 2011 at 1:38 pm
i have to say that by nature i am what i call an “optimistic pessimist.” that means i brace for the worst, but hope for the best. i do like this list, especially the one about someone waiting for their next visit from you. that’s true of my situation. i have a dear friend, much older than i, who recently went into a nursing home. i went to see her last week and i know she is looking forward to my next visit. i tend toward the negative side, but i think this list is good because it makes me think about the good in the world. thank you.
February 6th, 2011 at 1:58 am
Just found your site and this article and they both make me happy… thank you.
February 11th, 2011 at 3:41 pm
1. A soldier of sorts is diligently fighting the fight so you don’t have to.
Thank you so much for writing this post. My husband is one of the many soldiers currently fighting the fight, and I was touched, knowing that there are people out there who still remember and appreciate that fact.
Thank you.
February 25th, 2011 at 2:47 am
All of them brilliantly written. Especially the first one. Many people make our lives meaningful without even being known. Amazing!
March 7th, 2011 at 6:52 pm
Love this list. Especially number 16. This is becoming one of my favorite blogs. Thank you.
March 17th, 2011 at 1:45 am
This just made me cry.
April 2nd, 2011 at 11:04 pm
This made me cry. Maybe because the world is so much bigger than just the reality i’m living.
April 8th, 2011 at 10:48 am
“Somewhere someone is admiring a breathtaking sunrise, and somewhere else a surreal sunset.”
I have never watched the sunrise of the sunset in my entire life and I have no idea why. In 2011 I have told myself everyday to get up and do it and all I can do it hit snooze. I don’t know why I am having so much trouble!
April 11th, 2011 at 10:45 am
Beautiful! Thank you for this post. I was moved to tears and smiling.
April 17th, 2011 at 1:22 am
Goosebumps. Coming across this site could not have come at a better time for me. Every single one gave me a new perspective on life when I was really starting to doubt the genuine goodness of it.
April 23rd, 2011 at 5:47 am
this amazing list gave me an amazing idea while reading just halfway through it! It will make an amazing video! every item on the list is already a frame-by-frame storyboard! And the last one would be a newborn baby with his/her smiling mother!
April 24th, 2011 at 5:53 pm
thanks. really put things in perspective.
April 30th, 2011 at 2:22 am
Thank you. I read number ten and was kinda disappointed because I am from a very small town (20ish), so I doubted this was very likely to be true. But, then I realized something even more extraordinary. It was my mom and dad. Biggest smile I’ve had in weeks!!!
May 1st, 2011 at 10:53 pm
This actually almost made me cry. It’s beautiful to think about some of these things happening right now.
May 4th, 2011 at 7:22 am
one of the best things i have read…and am all tears
May 6th, 2011 at 2:18 pm
Absolutely stunning to think of all of the amazing things that are occurring at any given time on this planet. I had goosebumps the entire time reading this!
May 10th, 2011 at 10:52 pm
Thank You for this list. It made my day.
May 18th, 2011 at 9:20 pm
This just cheered me up so much. I have a smile on my face and tears in my eyes. Thank you.
May 24th, 2011 at 12:44 pm
Great article! Cheers.
May 29th, 2011 at 11:33 pm
Wow!! This article is so awesome and true. That’s all I can say.
May 31st, 2011 at 6:54 am
Thank you.. So much. That really put things into perspective for me. I was really upset, and this has cheered me up. It had me in tears (of happiness!) by the time I had finished it, because I was imagining all those amazing things happening. Thank you, again.
June 23rd, 2011 at 2:51 pm
Holy beautiful!! It’s things like this that are slowly changing my life. I love it!
July 5th, 2011 at 2:44 am
Wow, made me smile, laugh, and cry. Great thought put into this , just the little things being multiplied by the human race. Stunning.
July 7th, 2011 at 10:06 pm
At this time, people like me are reading this article and smiling, and somebody is thinking they should post a comment to say “thank you.” Somebody has found a little more hope. Awesome piece of work. I loved it! Thank you very much.
July 22nd, 2011 at 1:46 am
Every single item on the list touched me, and reminded me that life is worth living!
August 5th, 2011 at 6:23 pm
It’s refreshing to hear a non-cynical perspective on life. It is so easy to get bogged down by the vices which exist throughout the world. If only the news could start with a fraction of these stories, perhaps we’d all be a bit more grateful, a little less negative and a lot more inspired.
October 1st, 2011 at 8:12 am
This site is inspiring.
Looking at the glass, half full. Every second of our lives counts, we must not waste it. Do good and feel good.
Thank you.
October 9th, 2011 at 1:32 am
Some people come into this world, see the show and walk away… while some people come to this world, create the show and stay forever. Very inspiring.
November 15th, 2011 at 6:22 pm
This entry made me smile.. I find this blog really interesting, I love it!
December 2nd, 2011 at 6:43 am
I really love your articles. This one is particularly inspiring. Keep up the good work.
December 21st, 2011 at 10:30 am
This is so weird. I just tweeted about being extraordinary and then saw this. Love your blog. Very inspring. I would be humbled to have as many followers. Wish you the best.
January 3rd, 2012 at 4:20 pm
#39 resonated quite strongly with me. I was saved from dying back in June 2011; a day before my 46th birthday. I had suffered a massive heart attack in the presence of a medical doctor.
The interesting thing is, how do you thank the people that save lives? what do you say to them? Will a thank you and a hug be sufficient? or should they be honored differently?
January 11th, 2012 at 7:38 pm
This post got me out of a dark mental place. Thank you for all of the inspiring bits of wisdom you post! I come to your blog in times of emotional turmoil and it always helps lead me back to the path I wandered from.
Best wishes.
January 13th, 2012 at 11:32 pm
I don’t cry often, but this really touched me.
March 13th, 2012 at 11:24 pm
I like it !
Very well written. Nice work. I’ll be reading more of your blog.
Thanks for publishing such an excellent list.
April 25th, 2012 at 8:12 am
Dear Ones Marc and Angel, This is one of the best blogs I have ever read. I’m finding it hard to come up with a superlative to fit, So after a long thought out deliberation, I’m going with Fastasmagorical.
April 26th, 2012 at 2:38 pm
This is an awesome list, I come back here from time to time and always leave smiling… XOXO
April 26th, 2012 at 7:04 pm
I love this blog - I now pick one list every week and try to do at least 3 things from them. Thanks so much for that - is there any chance you can add a Pinterest button as I have a board just for your stuff!
June 21st, 2012 at 12:16 am
How true it is!
June 23rd, 2012 at 9:53 am
This is pretty inspiring.
August 6th, 2012 at 8:08 am
Something wonderful happened to each of us today. We woke up. Now we have the opportunity to smile, laugh and make today a happy day for ourselves and maybe even someone else. Sure we all know today could be our last day. Do we live that way? The reality hits when a friend is battling cancer or your own doctor gives you a time stamp. Why wait until then?
August 22nd, 2012 at 2:40 am
so good ! a nice way of getting me to stop and reflect, thank you
October 2nd, 2012 at 4:10 pm
I love this post! So inspiring. It’s a great way of looking at life and focusing on the positive aspects. Thanks for reminding me of the beauty in the world.
January 24th, 2013 at 5:29 pm
I needed this today. Thank you.
January 28th, 2013 at 4:38 am
I am praying all the time for complete strangers, hoping every day that this makes their life.
We are making a difference reaching out to ones in need. Bless you Stranger, I wish you well.
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