【推荐1】Amy, a day old, was abandoned at a police station in Seoul. Her birth parents couldn’t afford to give Amy the appropriate healthcare then. She spent her first three months in an orphanage before she was adopted. “I always thought, why should I be more thankful to my adoptive parents than the next person?” she says.

In 2011, Amy reconnected with her birth mother in South Korea, her adoptive mum by her side. “My Korean mother took my American mother’s hands in hers and said with tears, ‘Thank you.’ After that, my whole world changed,” Amy says. At the time, she was working in the e-commerce sector and struggling with anxiety, depression and an eating disorder. Reconnecting with her birth family, however made her feel like the luckiest person in the world and she wanted to actively share her good fortune. That year, she quit her job and co-founded the Global Gratitude Alliance, which partners with grassroots organizations to create community-led solutions or social and economic change.

Since then, a reflexive sense of thankfulness has become Amy’s frame of reference for work, relationships and daily life in general. She tried to rethink her world view, appreciate the little things and make connections with others. For Amy, the attitude shift helped her overcome health issues—she didn’t need the drugs any more after she returned from Korea.

Those positive effects inspired Amy to share the experience with others. Through a partnership with a home for orphaned children in Nepal, the Global Gratitude Alliance provided teachers with workshops that concluded with a ceremony of giving thanks. The participants used those techniques to help their students and community after the destructive earthquake of 2015. Children from the school recently visited a local seniors’ home to build relationships with the residents there. “Gratitude creates a cycle of giving and receiving,” Amy says.

【推荐2】“Small Acts of Kindness” really made me think outside the box. Dr Max is right, “it takes nothing to be nice”.

I was in New Zealand in January visiting my son and grandson. I only had a small amount of cash on me as we stopped for a drink and cake, but the shop wouldn’t take cards. As I counted out my coins and realized I needed $2 more to pay for the cake, two boys waiting on bikes behind me observed this scene and one boy spoke up, “I can pay the extra amount.” It shocked me that a boy who didn’t even know me could be so kind. I politely refused his offer and just had the drink, but I thanked him a lot.

I “paid this forward” when I arrived in the UK. This expression for describing the beneficiary (受益者) of a good deed repaying the kindness to others instead of the original benefactor (although the concept may be old) may have been coined by Lily Hardy Hammond in her 1916 book, In the Garden of Delight. At the chemist’s, a young lady didn’t have enough cash to pay for a hair band that her daughter was keen to have, so I paid the bill for her. It was only £2.99 but it made me feel good about myself and I hope it also made this mum and daughter’s day!

With tiny gestures, we can give people a reason to keep on living. I intend to do this much more in the future.

【推荐3】An Incredible Journey

Ian William Halliwell was born on the 24th of April 1958, in Wigan UK. Just like most people have dreams, so did Ian.

Ian started playing Golf in 1972 and has been a keen golf player throughout his life. He participated in golf tournaments in many countries, dreaming of trying to get in the Senior Tour. But life has other plans.

In 1996, Ian was diagnosed with a brain tumor on his left side. As a result of the disease, his right-side hearing was lost. The talented player had to put a hold on his passion for a while. However, he knew he would come out stronger. In 1997, after going through two major surgeries, Ian recovered from the deadly illness.

But another disease completely turned his life over. In 2006, he suddenly had a stroke (中风) which was so critical that it ended with him being severely disabled to the extent that the doctors told him that he might not walk ever again, let alone playing Golf.

Upon realizing that he has lost the chance of playing the Senior Tour, he was heartbroken. But it wasn’t powerful enough to destroy the high-spirited individual. Ian took it as a challenge. He not only decided to start writing but also creating stroke awareness and promoting Golf for the disabled.

With the optimistic thinking of “A disability is not an inability,” Ian became a part of the British Inclusive Golf, which works to bring together the disabled and non-disabled players and create golf-related events.   

Ian has donated a large number of his life earnings to The Stroke Association. While spending a huge deal of time creating vast funds for the organization, Ian has played a huge role in enlightening others on how his recovery was aided by Golf, promoting the affected ones to make sure of the effective sport.

Ian has authored the book “The Social Golfer,” published in 2008. The book has successfully raised a total of £ 20,000, which the former golf player has donated to The Stroke Foundation. Ian also wrote “Living the Dream,” published in 2012. The book was an extension of the journey of his recovery, intending to inspire the readers.

Ian is a man of bravery. How he fought to recover from the deadly illness, followed by the stroke, is nothing but an incredible journey that is an inspiration to people.