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 person is pulled over on the side of the road, helping someone else 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 herself.
- 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
MD says
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.
Alex says
it seems almost funny i think i’ve thought of all these things some time in my life
Stuart says
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 🙂
Alison says
This list was really affecting, it put things into perspective for me. Thank you!
Bryce Christiansen says
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.
Abhishek Roy says
This is one of the best posts I have read on a blog in awhile… you rock !!!
AK Shay says
Really inspiring! Amazing thoughts!
Thanks.
tabzz says
number 19) : I am that kid, but I’m slacking off 🙁
Lori Alper aka Groovy Green Livin says
This post is beautiful. Thanks for sharing.
Contrarian says
… 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.
Gordie says
When you put it like that, it makes life seem all the more amazing and makes one feel grateful to be alive.
Max says
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.
Larissa says
… “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. 🙂
Ren says
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.
Marc says
@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!
Dannyn says
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.
Joshua says
Exceptional as always!!
I love you guys,
Happy New Year.
Joshua
AMTRBZ says
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.
Saf says
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.
Henry says
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.
Ashna says
Very inspiring…made my day! Thank you for sharing!
Living the Balanced Life says
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
Bryan says
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!
Jenny says
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.
jonathan figaro says
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.
Joe says
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.”
Dave says
You are AWESOME!!
Thanks so much to both of you for sharing your inspiriational wisdom with the world.
Meghashyam Chirravoori says
“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.
Julie says
This gave me a much needed smile, thank you.
InspiredDreamer says
This is fabulous. A friend shared your 1/10 post on Facebook and now you’ve got yourself a new follower. 🙂
Sejal says
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!
Shawnabcdefg says
Such a beautiful list.
And for:
10. Two people in your hometown are falling in love.
One of those people is me. 🙂 ahaha
Zoe says
wow that really changed my perspective on life
Savannah says
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.
Sammi says
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! 🙂
Me says
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.
Kait says
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
Bradley B says
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
Rion says
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.
Cassie says
I so dig this list!!
Sanidhya says
This one is too good… 🙂
eydie says
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.
Jane says
Just found your site and this article and they both make me happy… thank you.
Cori says
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.
Jaky Astik says
All of them brilliantly written. Especially the first one. Many people make our lives meaningful without even being known. Amazing!
Robert says
Love this list. Especially number 16. This is becoming one of my favorite blogs. Thank you.
Emily says
This just made me cry.
WOW says
This made me cry. Maybe because the world is so much bigger than just the reality i’m living.
Michelle McGuckin says
“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!
TichaCarioca says
Beautiful! Thank you for this post. I was moved to tears and smiling. 🙂