On Hope and Love...

I found a website where people share with the world their most hopeful and uplifting moments - real stories (twitter-length) that show how much difference simple gestures of love and hope can do to a wretched soul. This allow others to draw strength and inspiration from their experiences; thus encouraging people to never give up on love or lose hope. And that is -  GivesMeHope.com. It is a response to the popular site, FMyLife.com (FML) where people share stories of how their day was completely ruined or how f***ed up this world is.

GMH is like Chicken Soup for the Soul - the 21st Century, Twitter-style version. it is the FML for the optimists.

The creators of this site also made a separate page for those stories which are more focused on the Love category. They called it LovesGivesMeHope.

Now, isnt this a very good idea? Why settle on the negative aspects of life when you can actually brighten up your day and others with cheerful gestures and uplifting acts? How can you move on from all the hurt and pain of the past if you are to dwell on those things instead of finding hope and love even in the smallest and simplest things?

Well, let me share to you some short stories which captured my heart and soul...

When my brother was in kindergarden, he couldn't stop talking about how cool and funny his best friend Jeremy is.

When we met him, we saw he was in a wheelchair. On the way home we asked my brother why he never told us that Jeremy was in a wheelchair.

He simply said, "Because it isn't important."

***

I was recently diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

I told my husband I would understand if he wanted to leave, he didn't sign up for a mentally ill wife, and I have made his life hell for the past three years.

He just smiled and said, "In sickness and in health covers crazy, too."

***

I was so nervous/scared the day i brought home my first boyfriend.

I was afraid that he'd judge or be uncomfortable around my little brother Aby who has Down Syndrome.

But as soon as he saw my brother he gave him a high five and they started playing together.

Now we have little fights about who Kevin, my boyfriend, loves more.

***

My boyfriend was eager to meet my Mom, despite my various protests.

I pulled into the parking lot of the cemetery where she's buried, expecting him to completely freak out.

When we approached her grave, he sat down, said hello, and talked with her for an hour about how lucky he was to have me.

***

One day I got a phone call from my daughter's Grade 1 teacher saying I was to provide my daughter a lunch EVERY DAY!

Confused, I asked my daughter what she was doing with her lunches.

Her response? "A girl in my class doesn't get a lunch so I give mine to her."

***

Today, a married couple asked me to take their picture with the digital camera they had.

I counted 1... 2..., and right before I said 3, the man in the couple snuck a kiss on her cheek.

***

My daughter goes to kindergarten, and there is a boy there who is blind.

She didn't understand what this meant, so I explained.

The next day when I picked her up, I found her sitting across from the boy with her eyes closed, describing what trees looked like. The boy was grinning from ear to ear.

- their stories of love, acceptance and selflessness GMH...

Now, here's mine:

(I had a girl friend in grade school who was kind of boyish. One day, she got into a fierce fight with a male classmate who was actually close to her. Of course, they ignored each other after the fight. It was also during that day when some seniors bullied the guy. My friend hurriedly ran into his side and yelled at the bullies, "Don't you dare.. he's mine."

Now, they're engaged.)

These Stories Gave Me A Better Understanding and Appreciation of Life.. ;)