Having written three fairly personal articles thus far at Odyssey, I decided this week it was time to get into a more serious “newsworthy” event. However, upon reading various papers and exploring what I could write passionately about, I found negative feelings arise inside me. Did I want to spend hours researching and writing about the social and economic consequences of Brexit? Or learning all the horrific details about the bombing in Istanbul on Tuesday? Or what about writing about how IKEA recalled 36 million chests and dressers after six deaths?

Honestly, it has been a long week and I’m beyond ready for the sandy toes, salty kisses and seashell wishes this holiday weekend will bring. So I began to look up some lighter topics to write about. I could write about Shark Week coming up, or "Game of Thrones" (not actually because then I’d have to start watching it), or the New York University Medical School suspension of a researcher for jeopardizing the safety and welfare of her subjects. But none of those seem all that interesting or uplifting to me, either.

So here’s my article.

This week in the news, besides all those things above, a limousine driver saw a little dog limping underneath a stopped car on the Brooklyn Bridge and hurried over to help. Driver Garrick Quinones ignored the horns and cars rushing by him to rescue the dog, leading the scared pup out from underneath the vehicle with a makeshift iPhone charger leash. Quinones said, “My newest little dog friend looked up at me and started to follow me and didn’t want me to leave after I brought him to the precinct.” The dog had a microchip and was returned to its owner.

As you know, I have a soft spot for animals and soldiers. So when I saw a video of Army private, Hannah Foraker, who had been at basic training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma for three months, reunite with her best buddy, Buddy, I couldn’t help but think, “There is no better news in this world!” At first the dog didn’t realize his best friend was back, but once he did a double take, he began crying and whimpering, barely being able to stand up he was so excited. Watch the video, it does not disappoint.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftxS6GlCUL8&feature=youtu.be

In other animal news, four Nubian goat brothers -- Minnie, Horatio, Hector and Eyebrows -- were brought into Brooklyn Bridge Park to rid a 45-foot-high-sound-blocking berm of pesky weeds and other stubborn plants. Since Brooklyn Bridge Park does not use pesticides or herbicides, bringing in goats has proven to be the most environmentally safe and most cost-effective way to manage these fast growing spaces. Rebecca McMackin, director of horticulture at Brooklyn Bridge Park, says she hopes the goats are “just going to cruise through, leave the grasses and eat the weeds, and we’ll have a beautifully grassy berm for the future.” And, the goats get a beautiful view of the city skyline while they feast!

This week, Argentinian football player Diego Milito played his final game. While this in itself is not an amazingly “feel-good” story, the fact that a 10-year-old boy, Santiago Fretes, with an amputated right leg (due to a disability at birth) offered one of his crutches to his friend so he could see, is. Frete said, “I saw Milito walking around the field and my friend couldn’t see him because of a billboard, so I lent him one of my crutches so he could enjoy with me.” Not everyone thinks that sharing is caring, but this is a perfect example that some do!

In other sports news that makes us feel warm and fuzzy inside, 100 under-privileged Cowboys fans were invited to have a slumber party at the Cowboys home. Kids without beds at home slept over at the stadium and each got to take home a twin bed set. In true blue, silver and white fashion, the field was filled with beds, each with Cowboy swag, quilts, teddy bears and footballs. After eating pizza and hanging out with the football players and cheerleaders, the kids got to stay up past their bedtimes and watch a movie on the big screen. Can you say touchdown!

Some good news from Kansas City and Sacramento comes for the homeless and hungry this week. In Kansas City, a community kitchen that serves meals to those who need them decided to switch from soup-kitchen-esque serving to restaurant-esque style. This new model of waiting on their clients adds a level of humanity and an enjoyable experience for those who cannot normally afford to have the restaurant experience we so often take for granted.

In Sacramento, public bathroom facilities have been opened for the homeless. The facilities, called the Pit Stop, provide access to safe and clean bathrooms to those who may not have that otherwise. Like dining, we often take for granted the restrooms that are so easily accessible to us. Council member Jeff Harris said, “as we work towards more permanent solutions to end homelessness in our city, this program is complementary in that it addresses an urgent need.” Currently, the Pit Stop has more than a dozen locations in San Francisco!

In celebrity news, Taylor Swift is doing more than just moving on from Calvin Harris unabashedly fast, as the magazines claim. Though lesser known, Taylor Swift made 6-year-old cancer patient, Taylor Rayburn’s, wildest dreams come true when she met her backstage and snapped some photos. Rayburn’s mom said, “We surprised Taylor this weekend and took her to see her favorite artist and very first concert ever! She wasn’t able to celebrate on her real birthday so we thought we would surprise her and take her… no idea her dream of meeting her would come true!”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_hJ_gHUSb8

On a similar note, Bon Jovi recently surprised a super-fan, Carol Cesario, battling lung cancer at his Soul Kitchen restaurant in Toms River. Mr. Bon Jovi sat with Carol and her family for over an hour, making it “one of the best days of [the] families (sic) life," said Carol’s daughter. She continued on to say, "seeing my mom this happy filled me with so much joy." See? Celebrities do more than kiss and break up and kiss and make up, as Katy Perry sings!

And what’s an Odyssey article without some love? Aminah Hart was single at 42, and decided she wanted a child. With the help of a sperm bank and in vitro fertilization, she chose her donor and nine months later baby Leila was born. Aminah became curious about Leila’s father and tried to contact him through the IVF register. Turns out, the Australian cattle farmer, Scott Anderson, saw how similar Leila looked to his other four children (from his two previous marriages) and wanted to meet her immediately. The London native, Aminah, traveled to Melbourne with Leila so her little girl could meet her father. The “family” started seeing each other more and more and in a matter of weeks they fell in love. Sure, this is not the traditional love story, but this "back to front" love story would make even the greatest cynics believe in fateful love. Their story is already a book, entitled “How I Met Your Father,” and a movie is in the works!

And lastly, one of my favorite “feel-good” discoveries of the week: www.what-dog.net/.

Based on your picture, this website tells you what dog you are…what more is there to say?

Except, thank you Microsoft for this creation!

So, yes, there was a horrific attack this week (as I have had to say way too many weeks this year), among dozens, if not hundreds of other terrible events this week. And yes… somewhere around 1,050,000 people died this week (one that hit particularly close to home – it has been a long week!), but also 2,520,000 babies were brought into this world this week. And yes, some will grow up to do bad things that will make the news, but a lot more of them will grow up to do amazing things that will change the world for the better – whether you read about it or not, it’s happening.