The man just happens to be my wife's uncle, over the past three months of working side-by-side with him I've convinced him that not everybody the enters the country is trying to do America or him harm. I've been working very hard in the last month to convince him that not everybody that looks at him is a racist outburst. And in the last week he's apologized twice about saying negative things about anyone specific people.

I love y'all here at uplifting news and reading stories here always helps me to remember it's not hard to be dumb and blind, it's hard to hold the hand of someone so angry and lead them towards a more enlightened life in the real world. But it's the most rewarding feeling when they begin to change for the better.

Unrelated to the story, I was creating a profile on freecodecamp.com to start to learn how to code when I heard tires screech and a bang, and having witnessed many car crashes before I could suspect what happened. My fiancee and I live in a 2nd floor apartment that has a small deck with a perfect view of the entire parking lot. I opened up the door and looked outside to see a minivan backing away from a parked Honda Accord. I quickly snapped a picture just in case the van drove away. After discussing with some friends for about 3 mins, the van took off around the parking lot and left. I was able to get one more picture as he was leaving. Leaving my door open as I went inside I could hear the 2 remaining teens discussing that they thought they saw me taking pictures. During that time I wrote up a note to leave on the car explaining I had some pictures but no printer and I could send them if they contact me. I didn't want to leave it right away for fear it would be thrown out but also to see what would happen. I was later rewarded for waiting when the man returned after about 15 mins and left a note on the person's car.

In addition to the note he left, he even came up and knocked on my door to apologize, explain that he was not hitting and running, and, surprisingly, thanked me for being a good citizen (that one caught me off guard). I could tell how nervous he was talking to me but the point is that he did it anyway. And I really respect that. Maybe he had planned to hit and run and only came back because they saw me taking pictures, but regardless, in the end he did the right thing.

One of my HS friends and I reconnected recently over something semi-controversial/ emotional I posted on Facebook. She reached out to share her own story, and I felt compelled to help her.

She is 8 months pregnant, going through cancer treatment (down to a stage 2 from 4, Yay!) and has lupus. Due to several reasons, a baby shower is not in the cards, but babies still need things. Lots of things. I sent her something off her registry but felt it wasn't enough. I reached out to mutual friends and some on her page from our high school and we managed to get her Amazon registry down from 205 items to 170. She and her S.O. were absolutely floored. Totally weren't expecting it. To be honest, neither was I. Most of these people at this point are just social media acquaintances at best and didn't know the full story. Melted my heart that everyone came together like that for her.

Over the weekend I got this email from an author who's mailing list I signed up for:

I have been working very hard on the new Milton book - THE >ALAMO - but I got a message last week that >stopped me in my tracks.

Emma Johns is the wife of my son's godfather and has been battling with breast cancer for several years. In the >middle of her gruelling treatment she found out that she was pregnant (the chemotherapy was supposed to >make her infertile but, to her surprise, it didn’t).

And then, in December, she gave birth to her own little miracle: >baby Phoenix.

Emma's condition is worsening but there is hope: a trial immunotherapy drug called Pembrolizumab has shown >amazing results for women with incurable triple negative breast cancer (like her). But, due to her pregnancy, Emma missed out on being eligible for the only trial available for this drug. >Her best option now is to pay for it privately for the eye-watering sum of £40,000.

I want to help. I paused work on THE ALAMO for the week and revisited a favourite character. Not many people >know this, but Beatrix Rose was inspired by Emma's courage in the face of her cancer, and it seemed right that I >wrote a new short story featuring her.

But not just her.

I'm bringing someone else to the party.

PHOENIX is a short novella that is perfect for reading on your phone or your ereader. It's set just before GHOSTS >and the Beatrix Rose trilogy that begins with IN COLD BLOOD. You don't need to have read any of those books >to enjoy this and there are no spoilers.

The novella is available for preorder right now. I've priced it as low as I can to still attract the highest royalty from >the online retailers, and so for every $2.99 purchase Emma and her family will receive $2. That might not sound >like a lot, but you are one of 80,000 readers on my mailing list. If even half of the list buys the book, we could >fund Emma's treatment for two years. We can have a massive impact on her life.

You can preorder a copy of PHOENIX, and help make Emma's life a little easier at these links:

Amazon AU

Amazon CA

Amazon UK

Amazon US

Apple US

Apple UK

Kobo

Barnes and Noble

[Google Play]>(https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=X8vKDgAAQBAJ)

Please note that you can also gift copies to people who you think might enjoy it, and you can share details on >social media.

I hope this finds you well. I’ll be back very soon with THE ALAMO.

Best wishes, as always,

Mark

I'm sure I saw it hit #1 in UK kindle store on Saturday, though it's down at 272 now. Don't know how high it got elsewhere.

No idea know how much they've raised, but I have my copy and hope they're well on their way.

I saw this last year and came acrossed it again and thought to share it. It inspired me to do things on a much smaller scale, like buying a strangers meal or coffee.

http://www.usatoday.com/videos/news/nation/2014/12/02/19806265/

Here is link to full video if you desire:) http://youtu.be/06SNLxTf0nM

I was just coming back to my desk from a meeting, and walked by a view of the doors leading from the elevator to our floor. Our CEO was holding the door for one of the mailroom guys, and having a casual conversation with him.

It may not seem like much, but our CEO makes at least $5 mil/year running a multi-billion dollar company, and he's taking his time to be courteous and initiate conversation with one of the lowest paid people in our company, for no reason other than because he's a decent guy. And it felt like a very good example of the values that he and other senior leaders speak to in the company.

I mentioned this to a co-worker, and she said, "Just because your position in life changes, your values shouldn't." Smartest thing I've heard this week.

Anyway, I wanted to share. It gave me the warm fuzzies.

I work as a mainframe operator in a recessed region and I don't make much money. I barely keep my head above water, and after finding out I'd be missing some time due to surgical removal of a tumor in my nasal cavity and tongue lesions, I was obviously panicked.

I spoke with my boss about scheduling some overtime to make up the hours I was going to lose. The doctor wanted me about for around a week, I told him I couldn't financially afford more than two days. My boss told me to focus on resting and healing, not rushing back to work.

I had surgery on monday, and dealt with two of the most painful days of my life afterwards. I stopped taking my pain pills late last night because I knew I'd have to be relatively clear headed for work today. I drive to the office, sift through my emails and I come across the one asking me to come back to her office when I'm settled.

I head back and she tells me that she works hard for those that work hard for her. Even though I'm only here nine months, and I don't get PTO for another 3 months, she told me she spoke with some people and got those two days I was off covered. I'm a large man and I almost cried. I was so worried about finances and making sure everything was covered that her paying me for the days I was out was so unexpected. I can honestly say, there are good people, and I'm priveledged to work for one of the better ones.

TLDR: Didn't have sick time, couldn't afford to miss any days for R&R from surgery, but had to miss two anyway. Boss told me she's paying me for the two days I was off anyway, because I work so hard for her.

My friend and I were at the drive-thru, and while we were waiting for someone to take our order, we were discussing how broke I am. Soon, our order is taken, and we head up to the window. The man at the window gives me a receipt, tells me I don’t need to pay, and to continue to the next window. At this point I’m really confused, think maybe the guy in front of me decided to do something nice, but soon after I realized he probably heard our discussion and decided to do something about it. I don't know if that's something the restaurant does, or if he had to pay for it himself, I'm just so grateful.

it was cold AF yesterday, and I was walking around all day. so I bought a beanie. It was like 6 bucks. nothing special.

today, it wasn't as cold. I was walking in downtown Toronto, carrying the hat in my hand.

some dude is camped out on the side of the road- looks like that's home to him- and he's like "I love your hat!"

and I'm all, "ah, thanks man! you want it?"

this guy lit right up. like, SO FUCKING EXCITED. so I gave him the hat. he put it on right away, proceeded to thank me profusely and tell me I'm beautiful, glowing all the while with his own great big smile.

then, I turn the corner, and there's ANOTHER dude camped out. he asks me for a dollar so he can buy a coffee.

normally I avoid giving money to the homeless (I feel better giving food, for example). but! I didn't have any food on me, and I was feeling inspired by the last dude.

so I say hey, give him a dollar and keep walking.

a few minutes later I run into him at the convenience store, buying a coffee with the dollar I gave him. so I ask him if he wants something to eat. and again, this dude LIT THE FUCK UP - said he would absolutely love something to eat. he picked out a sandwich, I bought it, and then we talked for a bit. cool dude with lots to say.

and now my heart is warm as all hell, even if my head is slightly less shielded from the cold.

a little can mean a lot.

do something nice today, reddit!!

there's this stray cat who keeps visiting my home for years now, i've been feeding her, petting her etc. she came tonight with a fish bone stuck in her mouth, idk for how long it's been stuck there but it looks fairly recent. took the fish bone out after hours of trial because she keeps moving because it probably hurts. idk it seems like a small deed. not much of a deed to me, just returning the favor and being loyal to her since she'd been coming and going for a long time now. just wanted to share that's all.