Sangha of Auspicious Companions

December 31, 2023

a project of ServiceSpace

These Uplifting Photos of 2023 Are Guaranteed to Make Your Eyes

“A great news photograph can be many things, but its core quality is that it tells you a story and lives on in your memory,” says picture editor Jon Mills, who prepared the Good News Network’s list of best photos of 2023. From an image of Mars’ surface that closely resembles a bear, to a friendly lion cub who adorably befriends a photojournalist at a zoo in Algeria, to a couple at their wedding when the Northern Lights stunningly appeared in their photo, these smile-inducing images nurture a reality of hope, kindness, and moments of grace. { read more }

Be The Change

Look for the beauty and life force everyday moments.

DailyGood is a volunteer-run initiative that delivers “good news” to 154,175 subscribers. There are many ways to help. To unsubscribe, click here.

Other ServiceSpace projects include:

KindSpring // KarmaTube // Conversations // Awakin // More

December 30, 2023

a project of ServiceSpace

Niksen: The Dutch Art of Purposefully Doing Nothing

In an increasingly busy world, the Dutch have mastered the art of niksen – purposefully doing nothing. This powerful practice counteracts anxiety and bolsters creativity and productivity. Instead of always focusing on efficiency, practicing niksen by setting aside specific time for purposeless relaxation, such as sitting in a caf simply savoring your coffee and daydreaming, can be incredibly restorative. Similar to the happiness-boosting habits found in ‘blue zones’ around the world, niksen is not about being lazy, but resetting and rewiring the brain away from constant stress. As health journalist and nurse Elisabeth Almekinder puts it, “Allow your mind to wander aimlessly, and let yourself simply, ‘Be.'” { read more }

Be The Change

Practice presence and see what arises.

DailyGood is a volunteer-run initiative that delivers “good news” to 154,188 subscribers. There are many ways to help. To unsubscribe, click here.

Other ServiceSpace projects include:

KindSpring // KarmaTube // Conversations // Awakin // More

December 29, 2023

a project of ServiceSpace

How Two Enemy Soldiers Saved Each Other, Over 20 Years Apart

In the brutalities of the Iran-Iraq War in the 1980s, two soldiers on opposite sides formed an unlikely bond. In 1982, Iraqi forces captured the Iranian city of Khorramshahr. In response, Iran plotted to retake the city. Shortly after that battle began, Najah Aboud, from southern Iraq, was severely wounded in the head, chest, and back. Crawling to a bunker, he prepared for the death that seemed inevitable. At the same time, 13-year-old Zahed Haftlang had run away from an abusive home in Tehran, Iran and was a militia medic for Iran. When Iran recaptured Khorramshahr in May 1982, Zahed was ordered to go into the bunkers to treat Iranian soldiers. It was there he heard Najah moaning in pain. Each man suspicious of the other, Zahed reached into Najah’s breast pocket and pulled out a photo of the wounded man with his girlfriend and her infant during happier times. In that moment, Zahed decided to risk his life to help Najah. Fast forward 20 years. Both men had gone on to become prisoners of war, and then came out of war to learn they’d lost their loved ones. Zahed somehow ended up across the globe in Vancouver, Canada. Homeless and suicidal, he was flipping through a magazine when another man entered the room. It was Najah. This time, he was the one unexpectedly saving Zahed. More in this goosebump-raising account that originally aired in 2014, as well as a 2015 documentary. { read more }

Be The Change

Look for something resoundingly human in a person you struggle to understand.

DailyGood is a volunteer-run initiative that delivers “good news” to 154,213 subscribers. There are many ways to help. To unsubscribe, click here.

Other ServiceSpace projects include:

KindSpring // KarmaTube // Conversations // Awakin // More

A History of the Sky

DailyGood // Conversations // iJourney // HelpOthers

MovedByLove // CF Sites // Karma Kitchen // More

Thank you for helping us spread the good. This newsletter now reaches 43,201 subscribers.

December 28, 2023

a project of ServiceSpace

Animal Shelter Celebrates After All Pets Adopted For First Time

Christmas came early at the Adams County SPCA in Pennsylvania, U.S. where “a true miracle” led to the shelter being completely pet-free for the first time in nearly 50 years! Typically buzzing with barks and meows, the shelter shared news of the emptiness, which was attributed to successful adoptions and pets being restored to their families. Imagine the joy in the faces of the staff and volunteers as they navigated hallways lined with vacant kennels, their hard work and dedication finally heavy with fruit. Kennel technician Tonya Hays dubbed the accomplishment as “quite a feat” after managing to adopt out 94 animals and return 26 strays to their owners since November 1st, and not one pet has been returned. The echoes of the empty kennels may be short-lived, but as the shelter plans to assist overloaded shelters in Pennsylvania, they are motivated to continue extending their chain of compassion. As the Adams County SPCA put it, “We are going to do the best we can to help as many animals and people we can.” { read more }

Be The Change

Do an act of kindness for an animal.

DailyGood is a volunteer-run initiative that delivers “good news” to 154,237 subscribers. There are many ways to help. To unsubscribe, click here.

Other ServiceSpace projects include:

KindSpring // KarmaTube // Conversations // Awakin // More

December 27, 2023

a project of ServiceSpace

Deepening Into Regenerative Practice

Regeneration isn’t just about climate change, it’s about an evolution in our attitudes and values. In a riveting conversation between living systems catalysts Daniel Christian Wahl and Bill Reed, the principles and practices of regeneration emerge as a path towards ongoing personal and environmental growth. As Reed highlights, “the deliverable for a regenerative project is building the capacity and capability of people to co-evolve.” Rather than focusing only on linear solutions to problems, they underscore the critical role inner development plays in achieving regeneration — a practice that enables one to “really understand the nested wholeness of life being fundamentally interconnected,” Wahl observes. The two authors’ refreshing take challenges us to view regeneration as an ongoing journey, one that goes beyond simply focusing on behavior change and nudges us to re-envision ourselves as active participants in life’s planetary processes. Reed affirms, “This is why this practice is unlearnable. It is a continual evolution of discovery of self and the universe.” { read more }

Be The Change

As we ready for the new year, contemplate what practice may enable a shift in your heart to more deeply support a regenerative new year resolution.

DailyGood is a volunteer-run initiative that delivers “good news” to 154,270 subscribers. There are many ways to help. To unsubscribe, click here.

Other ServiceSpace projects include:

KindSpring // KarmaTube // Conversations // Awakin // More

December 26, 2023

a project of ServiceSpace

Cooperative Ways to Weather the Silver Tsunami

When Baltimore’s Common Ground Cafe abruptly shut down in mid-2023, it wasn’t just the loss of a beloved coffee shop, but a devastating jolt to the 30 employees who relied on it for their livelihood. But they weren’t ready to give up. Rallying together, the baristas raised thousands of dollars and leaned on each other’s strengths. They formed a worker’s cooperative and took control of the cafe themselves. “Making it is when we get to a point in our lives where we can take care of our friends,” according to barista Jacqueline Du. Their journey reveals lessons about workers’ ownership as a potential solution for the “silver tsunami” of baby boomer business owners retiring without a succession plan. Their coffee may be excellent, but what’s truly special about the newly reopened cafe is the spirit of camaraderie and community that fills it. { read more }

Be The Change

Prioritize friendship today.

DailyGood is a volunteer-run initiative that delivers “good news” to 154,309 subscribers. There are many ways to help. To unsubscribe, click here.

Other ServiceSpace projects include:

KindSpring // KarmaTube // Conversations // Awakin // More

Inspiring Links of the Week

December 25, 2023

a project of ServiceSpace

Why I Learned to Knit Christmas Stockings

Embarking on a heartwarming journey of love and connection, Madeline Holcombe decided the best way to feel closer to her late grandmother was to pick up her knitting needles. Using her grandmother’s pattern, Madeline set out to craft the same personalized Christmas stockings that Grandma Mimi began diligently knitting for her family in the 1960s. Through this repetitive labor of love, Madeline found a profound connection to her past, gaining a deeper understanding of her grandmother’s silent expressions of love. She observed, “It took me awhile to understand that the things she made meant the same as ‘I love you’ or ‘I missed you.'” It wasn’t just a simple knitting project; it was carrying on a tradition of warmth and belonging for her family. An ongoing work in progress, the mutual narrative of love and resilience woven into these homemade stockings is what truly matters. “I can keep making them, and we will get to tell the story of our extraordinary grandmother and show the love she had for us in our handmade knit stockings.” { read more }

Be The Change

Do something that can be a small offering of care for a future generation.

DailyGood is a volunteer-run initiative that delivers “good news” to 154,318 subscribers. There are many ways to help. To unsubscribe, click here.

Other ServiceSpace projects include:

KindSpring // KarmaTube // Conversations // Awakin // More

December 24, 2023

a project of ServiceSpace

The Giving Tree in Nova Scotia

From the beginning, it was literally something sweet. “I just wanted to put some candy canes up for the little ones,” Peggy Feltmate recalls the first year she put up a “giving tree” outside her home. It was cold outside, and she saw children reaching for the candy canes without any gloves or mittens on their hands. “Okay, I’m a grandma, I’m going to add some mittens and things to the tree,” Feltmate decided. Then, she noticed adults taking from the tree without wearing hats or gloves in the cold weather. The tree grew from there. Now it boasts socks, toiletries, mittens, hats, and more. “It has to fit into a classic sandwich bag,” the grandmother explains, “So that people can take what they want and they don’t ever have to ask. … I’ve watched [people] come down and they’ll pick through the tree … they only take what they need, and they’ll leave something for somebody else.” For over a decade, the New Glasgow, Nova Scotia woman has been giving little bundles of holiday gifts to anyone who passes by her home and can use it. { read more }

Be The Change

Share with others today. Whether in time or presence, food or material, give from the heart without expecting anything in return.

DailyGood is a volunteer-run initiative that delivers “good news” to 154,316 subscribers. There are many ways to help. To unsubscribe, click here.

Other ServiceSpace projects include:

KindSpring // KarmaTube // Conversations // Awakin // More