Be the Reason, Oslo (2026)

04/05/2025

Last night on my evening walk, I completely lost my mind because ahead of me was a white rabbit sitting upright, waiting for me on my path. I could not believe it.

I took out my phone to take its photo. It didn't move, I wondered if it was an early Easter decoration, but it was too far down on the road and not in front of a home.

I thought - - it's frightened so it's staying still, take it slow. I walked up to it little by little, carefully, so as not to frighten it. Friends, I just spent a very slow ten minutes walking up to a plastic bag of dog p**p.
Credit to Respective owner

04/05/2025

Today, I witnessed the uncertainty of life and the strength of humanity first hand.
I was on a flight from Colombo to Sydney and a passenger started experiencing some sort of a health issue. The crew sought the assistance of any medical professionals on board. Within minutes, there were passengers and crew trying to help this patient. Apparently, by this time, the passenger had no pulse. The responders did not give up though and kept on with CPR. Sadly, about 90 minutes or so later, the doctors who were on board pronounced the passenger had passed away.
I saw this passenger walking on to the flight with his wife in Colombo. 9 hours later, he was no more. Somebody's father or grandfather.... Who would be coming to the airport to pick him up.... Did they have plans to celebrate a reunion?
It's been a surreal experience.
What I also saw was the spirit of humanity at work. Strangers coming together and fighting to keep death at bay. No one wanted to give up. They kept doing what they could. When all failed, there was not a dry eye around. Shedding tears for a stranger that they hardly knew. There is love and there is still hope!!!!
Let us live everyday and love everyday. Live everyday to the fullest.
Credit to the respective owner .

02/05/2025

Have you ever had a conversation with a total stranger and later realize that person must have been sent by God?
That's what happened to me the other day. I was pushing my shopping cart filled to the brim with children and food through the store when an older gentleman approached us. He saw the kids and couldn't resist coming over to talk to us. He carried on about how cute they were and asked them several questions. Thankfully, my kids were cooperative and answered his questions. After chatting with us briefly, he went on his way.
A little while later, he made a beeline back to us.
He looked straight at me and said, "I want to tell you something." He then began a story about when his son was five years old. His son had asked him to build a birdhouse. He told him no because he was really busy with "important" things for work.
He watched his disappointed five year old slump off without crying or making a scene, and suddenly he felt terrible for breaking his son's heart. He called his son back to him. Together they went to the store to buy the materials and they built the birdhouse.
To make a long story short (he said), 40 years later, he can't remember anything about the work he was doing or what made it so important.
Then, he looked me in the eyes and said, "But we still have that birdhouse." My eyes immediately flooded with tears. Even though I'm with my kids for the majority of our days, I don't always devote myself fully to them. I halfheartedly do activities with them. I fuss at them. I get distracted by chores and my to do list and my phone.
This man may never know just how much he stopped me in my tracks, helped me adjust my priorities, and inspired me to slow down and be more intentional with my family.
God puts people in our path to help show us the way. The next time a stranger comes to you with something to say, be open to the message. It might change your life!
Life happens when we talk to strangers!
Credit to the respective owner .

02/05/2025

"I flew home from St. Pete’s last night, next to a wonderful woman from Saginaw. I would love for her to find this picture, but I never caught her name. The little boy in this photo is hers. These two kids were total strangers and the little girl just scooped her little man’s hand right into hers! This is our future, this can and should be our future -- colorfree, yet so colorful." Kendell and Shauntay met on a short flight headed to Flint, Mich., on May 6. The two hit it off and by the time the plane landed, the new friends held hands as they disembarked. This post went viral and Shauntay's mom, Kenya Menzies-Peoples, ended up seeing the photo online. She told a CBS affiliate: "It's kids being kids. When left to their own devices everybody is naturally nice."
Credit to Respective owner

02/05/2025

Aurora Sky Castner was born in prison. As a newborn, her father took custody and raised her as a single parent.

While attending elementary school, Aurora actively participated in a community mentorship program that paired her with an adult volunteer. Once a week, during lunch, the program aims to provide guidance and support to young students by addressing their needs, emotions, and future aspirations.

That is how Aurora met Mona Hamby, who also lacked a mother figure in her life.

"I knew that I couldn't just have lunch with this kid once a week; she needed more," Mona commented. Aurora was just 8 years old back then.

That is when Mona accompanied Aurora to a salon for her first haircut at the age of 8 and assisted her in obtaining glasses.

Mona organized a tour of Harvard's campus that inspired Aurora to apply to Harvard. After applying, she got accepted.

She graduated third in her class at Conroe High School, TX, last year and enrolled into Harvard University to study law.

Photo Credit - respective owner

01/05/2025

"I have $20 to my name right now.
Bills are paid and food is bought, but there just wasn’t much leftover this week. That’s okay.
On the way home from grocery shopping today, my kids begged for ice cream.
Begged. Cried real tears. All the drama.
I said no. I’m short on money and I might need that $20 before payday. We have plenty of good food at home; we don’t need to stop at the ice cream store.
I heard little sighs from the back seat, and then, “God, we’d really love some ice cream. Is there any way you can give mommy some money so we can get some ice cream tonight? We know you can. Thank you.”
Oh, good grief.
“Guys,” I said, “God isn’t going to drop money on our doorstep so you two can get ice cream. He’s BUSY right now with natural disasters.”
“Nope,” Josh said. “God said you’ll have plenty of money for ice cream and to give some to the natural disaster people.”
“Josh…it doesn’t work that way,” I started, and then gave up. And then we got home.
And on my doorstep was the mail.
In the mail was an envelope.
In the envelope was a $123 check from an overpayment on a student loan I cleared...back in 2007. The kids were unsurprised. God was unfazed. They enjoyed ice cream. The Red Cross received a donation.
And Mom remembered, yet again, what it means to have the faith of a child."

Credit - respective owner

01/05/2025

"I met you when I was seventeen. I think I loved you even then. Eleven years later we were married. Two years later I was pregnant with Emily. Two years after that we had Jessica.

Our life is full of numbers. The good ones are the birthdays we’ve shared, the wedding anniversaries, all eight of them, and the parenting milestones, like the time Emily said ‘daddy’ at seven months. Then there are the bad, like the 3cm cancerous tumour in my colon and the 10-day wait for the results that would turn our world upside down.

My diagnosis was devastating to me but not for the reasons you might think. As I sat there absorbing more numbers, this time my survival statistics, I could feel your grief. You didn’t show it, you’re much too strong for that. But it was there in the slump of your shoulders as it dawned on you that I’d just been diagnosed with the same cancer that claimed your father.

You held my hand when I started crying and I remember thinking that I must have done something truly breathtaking in another life to have found you in this one. To be there with me, sharing this awful moment – the stuff of nightmares – when everything was crashing down around us.

In the days that followed I drifted away from you and the children as I tried to envisage what a future with cancer would look like. I disconnected. I couldn’t find the tolerance to play ‘Hungry Hippos’ over and over again. But you did. Cafe trips, playgrounds, bike rides – you took it all on with the same sense of fun and enthusiasm as always. I’ll never know how you found the strength to do that. To carry on as normal, knowing what you did.

I’m so sorry I was distant. I was trying to pull away in case the unimaginable happened. To make it easier for you to move on. But I know now that our kind of love will never be neatly slotted into an Ex-File. There was no lack of rapprochement from you, no blame, just a sense that I’d figure it all out eventually. You were right. We needed to unite, hold the line, and face this battle together.

A great marriage is a bit like Jamie Oliver's chocolate tart. You don’t need much of the sugary stuff to know how satisfying it is, yet at the same time you’re pleasantly aware that, underneath it all, the biscuit base is rock-solid. It’s never going to let any of the good stuff seep away. You say you’re not romantic. I disagree. What you’ve given me of yourself this month surpasses any pricey bouquet, picnic or surprise trip to New York.

Sometimes I think cancer is hardest on the families. At least I have a goal. A target. A treatment plan. You have hope. You also have a full-time job, all the worry, and two small children to look after whilst I’m in hospital recovering from major surgery.

Our girls are so lucky to have you as their father. Of all my life choices, you are the best. Many would have walked away. You stay because that’s the sort of man you are, not out of a sense of duty but because the thought of leaving never even crosses your mind.

Your humility is legendary. You also have the ability to laugh and talk nonsense until four in the morning, yet no one could accuse you of pretense. You’re the only man who can make me laugh until I’m begging for mercy. I’ve cried more happy tears during our marriage than any other sort.

I don’t know what our future holds. I hope with all my heart that I can be a part of it for as long as I can but if I can’t, and if the worst befalls me, then at least our girls have you. Who cares if you can’t tie a ponytail or remember all the names of Emily’s Barbies. These things can be learnt, whereas your love for them is intuitive.

I have a promise for you, a guarantee that I’ll fight this disease with everything I have because I refuse to accept that our numbers end here. I see my 40th in three years time and I see your 50th in nine.

Most of all I see you and me and our girls. Together.

Written by Catherine Wiltcher
Credit to respective owner

30/04/2025

This sweet couple, Carrie and Craig, thought they couldn’t have children, so they decided to adopt twins in the United States. The twins were born on February 28th.
The next year, the birth mother had another set of twins, also born on February 28th—yes, the same day! She wanted these babies to go to the same family, so Carrie and Craig adopted the second set of twins too.
The One Chance Foundation, run by Karen Kingsbury, gave them a grant to help pay for the second adoption.
Not long after, Carrie found out she was pregnant and discovered she was carrying TWINS! And guess what? They were born on the next February 28th! Adoption truly changes lives forever.
Credit to respective owner

30/04/2025

Tonight as we were seated a few booths down from this table I asked the server 'so what's that reserved table all about?' She then smiled and said, 'It's for our regulars. They come here for dinner every night. Today is her 91st Birthday! So we here at Applebee's wanted to do something special for her! We all signed a card and are anticipating their arrival. We hope they show ..we're thinking they're waiting until after peak dinner hour ends since she's not fond of crowds.' We're hoping the couple arrives while we're dining to see the surprise on their faces.

Applebee's servers waited and waited and finally decided they must have decided to go elsewhere for her special day. A server sadly started to collect all of the silverware, linens and floral arrangement to ready the table for other waiting customers. Another family was seated at this very table. Several minutes pass and all of a sudden I see wait staff rushing to the front door! The couple arrived after all! Quickly they sprung into action!! As a few servers held the eagerly waiting couple at the door another server was requesting the family that was seated at this couples "usual" table if they wouldn't mind relocating to a nearby open table and explained why the request was special and would mean so much to them.

The family obliged and moved. Once moved, another server began clearing the table and setting up the fresh linens, candles, silverware card and floral arrangement. All was set for the Birthday girl! Several servers assisted the couple to their private table. The wife cried out in surprise!! As they were seated I hear her husband tell his wife, 'they did ALL this for you hunny!' Yes my eyes started to well up. Just warms the heart!
Credit to respective owner

29/04/2025

A few weeks ago, I got an email from a name I didn’t recognize.
The sender of the email told me she lives in Minneapolis and recently came across a framed painting on the sidewalk.
Thinking the frame would be great to repurpose for her own place, she took it home.
Once she looked closer, she realized that the artwork was a signed, original watercolor. Curious why it would’ve been discarded and who the artist was, she hopped online and did some detective work.
The painted was signed “JSauls.” Come to find out the artwork was created by Jeanne Sauls, an artist from Atlanta. Continuing her search, she found Jeanne‘s obituary from Palm Springs, California, where she passed away at age 90 over a decade ago.
“If my research is correct, I think you might be her granddaughter,” the email went on to say.
Indeed I am!!!!
I couldn’t write her back fast enough, and we made plans to connect the next time I was in that part of Minnesota.
Fast forward to yesterday when I met Julia, an artist herself, in person and was able to thank her for doing so much work to connect the painting back to our family!!
My dad, another JSauls (Jack), was blown away and tickled pink when I surprised him yesterday with the news that I had one of his mother’s paintings! In Minnesota of all places!
Grandma was a southerner true and true, and my mind wanders at the story of how this painting may have gotten up here to the Frozen Tundra. (Aptly named, as we are getting our first snow today.) And I smile at the story of how it made its way into my hands thanks to Julia.
According to my mom, the woman in the painting is my Great Aunt Delores. You know that I’ll be reframing the painting myself and hanging it in my place, telling the story again every time I have the chance.
And in case you didn’t figure it out yet, I’m the third JSauls, as that’s my maiden name.
Serendipity makes me happy.
Credit to the respective owner ✍️ .

29/04/2025

A young man approached me at the gas station and asked if I could buy him a gallon of milk.
At first, I hesitated — but while paying for my gas, I decided to grab the milk anyway.

As I stepped outside, I noticed his girlfriend standing nearby, holding a box of cereal.
He thanked me sincerely, and I started walking to my car... but something made me turn around.

I asked him if he'd like to wash my car for $20, explaining that I was planning to have it done anyway.
He eagerly agreed, and we headed to the nearest car wash.

When I handed him the $20, he teared up — telling me how much it meant to him to earn the money, especially in front of his girlfriend.
He said it made him feel like a man again.

While he washed, she proudly helped him, beaming with pride at his effort. The love between them was so real — not about money, but about mutual support.
When they finished, she praised his work, and he couldn’t stop smiling.

As we talked, he showed me a backpack filled with paperwork from places they'd visited, seeking help.
I was moved... so I took them to my apartment complex and gave him some clothes for job interviews, a few extra outfits, and hats.
I don’t have much — but what I have, I believe in sharing.

I gave them my number and offered to help with rides to interviews or appointments.
It felt so good to lend a hand.

Today reminded me...
Life can change in an instant.
We never know when we might be the ones needing a little kindness. ✨❤️

It’s a great day to be alive — no matter what you're facing.
Someone out there has even greater challenges, and a little compassion can make all the difference.

Credit: Original Owner ✍️ (respect 🫡)

29/04/2025

A couple of weeks ago, I went out to dinner alone while traveling for work. When my meal arrived, the soup was in a Styrofoam container, and the cutlery was plastic. I hadn’t ordered it to go—I was sitting in the restaurant. This wasn’t a fast-food joint or a convenience store counter; this was a sit-down meal, yet the experience had been stripped of anything that made it feel like one.

I see this happening more and more. I order a coffee, and before I can say anything, it’s handed to me in a paper cup with a plastic lid—even though I’m not going anywhere. It’s not that I mind drinking from a paper cup in the right setting, but what happened to sitting in a café, enjoying a drink in an actual mug? What happened to the simple pleasures of a meal served on a real plate, a drink poured into a glass, a moment made just a little bit more intentional, a little bit more meaningful?

Some people might think this is insignificant, but I don’t believe it is. Sure, call me a snob, but nice things are nice—and when we cheapen everything, when everything is disposable, what is there to care about? What matters?

If we can’t sit in a coffee shop with a real cup, if we can’t have a meal served with proper utensils, if we can’t enjoy a drink in glassware, then we aren’t just cutting costs—we’re stripping the world of small, daily joys that make life richer. And when the details don’t matter, when everything feels temporary and throwaway, it creates a culture of apathy.

The little things—the weight of a ceramic mug in your hand, the way real silverware feels when you eat, the act of sitting down and being present—these are not trivial. They signal that life is something to be experienced, not just consumed. They remind us that our moments, no matter how small, are worth something.

When we treat every interaction as temporary, transactional, and disposable, people start to feel temporary, transactional, and disposable. This isn’t just about personal preference; this has real consequences for mental health, for community, for the way we see and value each other.

This creeping disposability bleeds into everything. It’s in how we treat our cities, our relationships, our work. It’s why loneliness is rising, why depression is so pervasive, why people feel disconnected from their own lives. Because when nothing is designed to last—when even the smallest moments of care and beauty are erased—what’s left?

Details matter. A well-set table, a real cup of coffee, a thoughtfully designed public space—these things are not frivolous. They shape our experience of the world and, in turn, how we feel about ourselves and each other. When people feel valued, they act better. When they feel cheap, they act accordingly.

Nice things are nice. And they make people feel nice. And when people feel nice, they are happier, healthier, kinder. They care more—about themselves, about each other, about their communities. That’s not snobby. That’s just human nature.

Credit - original owner

Be the Reason

04/05/2025

04/05/2025

02/05/2025

02/05/2025

02/05/2025

01/05/2025

01/05/2025

30/04/2025

30/04/2025

29/04/2025

29/04/2025

29/04/2025

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Nettsted

Varslinger

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Del

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