Two Stories Of The Great Good in our World

We all need a reminder sometimes of the good in the world. Every day we see the headlines, the anger, the pain, and it can wear us down. But sometimes, all it takes is listening to the stories of those who serve, to see the miracles that still unfold in the quiet corners of life.

The Officer Who Found Peace

In one of my recent classes, a police officer shared a poignant story of hope. Over a few short years, he lost a close friend in the line of duty and then his father. At the same time, he and his wife were struggling through heartbreak after heartbreak trying to have children. They had even been blacklisted by an adoption agency after a misunderstanding that he blamed himself for.

It all became too much. One night, he sat with a gun, ready to end it. And then, as if from nowhere, a text came through. Someone checking on him. Someone who had no idea how close he was to giving up. That small moment of connection saved his life.

In time, he and his wife made peace with not having children. They accepted that maybe their purpose was to love others, to be that favorite aunt and uncle. And then came another miracle. A call from a distant, unknown relative in Washington. A baby born premature, tested positive for drugs, needed a home. Would they be willing to adopt?

They said yes. Only a week later, they were holding their child. Today that child is healthy and full of life. What had been a story of tragedy turned into one of redemption and grace.

The Firefighter Who Saved a Life

Another officer in that same class told a story that again, took my breath away. Earlier in his life, he worked as a security guard, before becoming an EMT which had led to entering law enforcement. One night, he responded to a call in an apartment building he was guarding. Inside was a sixteen-year-old girl who had just given birth, and her baby, born weeks premature, was in the toilet she had given birth on.

He thought the baby was dead. Then he felt warmth. A tiny breath. He started CPR with two fingers, the baby in one hand, and rushed to the hospital tapping it’s fragile chest with his fingers the entire way. He left without knowing if the child had survived or not.

Five years later, a mother and her five year old girl showed up at the firehouse where he was now an EMT. It was the baby who had been born in a toilet, healthy and happy.

Choose to See the Good

I get to travel and meet so many men and women who serve, police, fire, veterans, nurses, teachers, volunteers. The world can look dark, but there are still miracles and moments of light happening all around us.

If you take the time to talk to people, to listen, you will find them. Go up to the officer, the nurse, the veteran, the volunteer. Ask about their story. You will see that hope is not gone. It is alive in the hearts of those who choose to keep doing good.

So today, be that person. Help someone who has been forgotten. Visit a prison or a recovery home. Give a hand to a single mom. When you reach out, you may find that the one you tried to help is the one who lifts you up.

There is still good in the world, my friends. Go find it. Better yet, be it.

For the complete stories, please check out the YouTube link below!