2 . Earlier this year Rodney Smith Jr. made headlines when he drove eight hours from his home in Huntsville. Alabama, to cut the lawn for an elderly soldier in North Carolina who couldn’t find anyone to help him with his yard work.

That wasn’t the first time the twenty-nine-year-old Bermuda native had gained such attention. To do his good deeds, Rodney often finds leads for those in need through social media.

Back to one August afternoon in 2015, Rodney Smith Jr. was driving home. That’s when Rodney saw an elderly man struggling to mow his lawn. He would take a couple of shaky steps, using the handle to stabilize himself, pause, then slowly push the mower again. Rodney decided to help. Mr. Brown thanked him greatly, and Rodney went home feeling satisfied.

Sitting at his computer to do his homework, Rodney couldn’t get Mr. Brown out of his mind. There must be many Mr. Browns out there. He went online and posted that he would mow lawns for free for senior citizens. Messages flooded in.

One day a cancer-battling woman said she wasn’t having a good day. Rodney decided to do more than mowing lawns. After he finished mowing, he knocked on her door. “You're going to win this fight, Madam”, he said. Then he asked folks to pray for her on social media.

Word of Rodney’s mission spread. A grandmother in Ohio said he’d encouraged her 12-year-old grandson to mow lawns. He got a letter from a seven-year-old boy in Kansas. “Mr. Rodney, I would like to be a part of your program, and I’ll make you proud,” he wrote.

That gave Rodney an idea. In 2017, he decided to establish a programme Raising Men Lawn Care Service to make a national movement for young people. The kids learn the joy of giving back.

Yard work seems like a small, simple thing, but taking care of the lawn means a lot to the people they do it for. “When we mow their yards for free, they can use the money for healthcare and food etc. It means more than you would think,” Rodney said.

3 . When I was ten years old, Mum got paralyzed (瘫痪) . Before that, she was a lively and active woman who amazed many with her energy. I admired her for all the things she did.

However, everything changed when she turned thirty-one.

I still have vivid images of her before her paralysis. She would play popular music, creating a cheerful atmosphere for lively gatherings. She would joyfully rearrange the furniture to make room for friends to abandon themselves to dance. She often spent hours filling the house with flowers, which we picked fresh from the gardens.

After Mum’s paralysis, I began to take care of my 2-year-old sister, Mary Therese. In no time at all, I learned to bathe and feed her. For me it was a giant step beyond playing with dolls. One moment stands out even today: the time Mary Therese fell and skinned her knee, burst into tears and ran past my mother’s outstretched arms into mine. Too late, I noticed slight hurt on Mum’s face, but all she said was, “It’s natural that she should run to you, because you take such good care of her.”

When I was grown and entered the field of corrections, Mum became interested in working with prisoners. She taught writing to them. One day, she asked me to mail a letter to one prisoner, Waymon. I asked for my mother’s permission to read it first. It read: when you said that I couldn’t imagine what it is like to be in prison, I felt like I had to tell you that you are mistaken. When I awoke one day to find that I was completely paralyzed, I felt trapped, overwhelmed by a sense of being imprisoned in a body that would no longer allow me to dance or carry my child in my arms. But then, I made a choice about whether I would smile when I saw my daughters again or I would weep. I made a decision to live as fully as I could.

By the time I finished Mum’s letter, my vision was clouded by tears. For the first time, I saw my mother in a clearer light.

4 . I was looking through old photos with Mom. “Where on earth is that photo of Dad and Mumpsy?” I asked. It was my favorite one of Dad holding his dog.

“Maybe Jean has it,” said Mom. “We could ask her.” I looked at Mom as if she had the third eye. She could not be serious! Grandma had two sons, Dad and Uncle Ralph, who was married to Jean. Mom and Jean hadn’t got along since I was a little boy. Jean would say hurtful words to Mom, and Mom tried to let it go. After Grandma passed away, our connection with Uncle Ralph and Jean fell apart.

Yet here was Mom, intending to reach out to Jean after nearly 30 years. “We’re in our eighties,” Mom said. “Neither of us has many years left. Why not give it a try?”

Mom called Jean. Jean said the photos weren’t organized, and she invited Mom over to help look for the photo.

Sitting down at the table, Mom and Jean got through all the boxes from Grandma but didn’t find the photo. After a short talk, Jean said sorry for what she had done years before. She said that over the years, she had come to realize her mistakes but the fear of not being forgiven had stopped her saying sorry. Over the next few hours, they talked about what had happened in their lives.

“Jean received a college degree, and she’s become an artist. She has even sold a few of her paintings.” Mom later told me. “Then Jean pulled out a photo album (相册) of her family, just to share with me.”

“I suppose you didn’t find the Mumpsy photo,” I commented.

“Oh, I almost forgot. Guess what was stuck into the back cover of the album and fell out when she opened it?” Mom held up the photo of Dad and Mumpsy — lost until the recovery of Jean and Mom’s wounds.

7 . One evening in 2014, feeling bored, Paul O’Sullivan from Baltimore went to Face book to find out just how many others on the social network shared his name. Moments later, Paul O’Sullivan had many name twins from around the world filling his screen. He decided to send friend requests (请求) to them all.

Many Paul O’Sullivans paid little attention to him, but a few took up his invitation. “My first thought was ‘Who is this guy and what does he want from me?’” says Paul O’Sullivan from Rotterdam, the Netherlands — now known as Rotterdam Paul.

Baltimore Paul noticed something four of them had in common: They were all musicians. He had an idea. Wouldn’t it be funny if they formed a band (乐队) called The Paul O’Sullivans? They all agreed.

Starting a band across several time zones means a lot of problems, like shaky Wi-Fi and other technical difficulties. To fix this, they came up with a special idea. Baltimore Paul and Rotterdam Paul record a basic track (音轨), then e-mail it to Manchester Paul. Once Manchester Paul records a bass track, he e-mails it buck to Baltimore Paul, who then builds it into the main song. Later, Pennsylvania Paul adds the drumbeat. Round and round the track goes until they achieve the sound they want.

The Paul O’Sullivan Band released (发布) its first song, “Namesake,” in March 2016. It’s a cheerful song about long-distance friendships:

But just months after the song’s release, Baltimore Paul began experiencing health problems that forced him to stop making music. The other Pauls decided to take a break too — from the band.

But they didn’t stop their friendship. The other Pauls made sure Baltimore Paul never felt alone. They often shared family pictures and talked online.

Four years later, Baltimore Paul was well enough to start making music again. But now their international connection took on new meaning. “Writing a song with someone across the world makes you feel less trapped (困住) and less unhappy because of COVID-19,” says Baltimore Paul.

8 . I grew up in a poor family. When I turned eight, I went to work to polish (打磨) stones after school. My fingers hurt and sometimes badly. I hated the idea of polishing stones in dirty clothes forever. I dreamed of getting a university education and becoming a doctor someday. The other boys working together laughed at me because we were too poor to pay university fees.

After completing secondary school, I went to work in a small hotel. There most of the guests spoke English. I realized it was a good chance to improve my English. Almost every guest was regarded as my teacher. I asked them about words and phrases I picked up from English newspapers left behind.

One day, a foreign lady, Delores, came to the hotel. We spent a good hour trying to figure out the way to the Hawa Mahal. Madam Delores asked, “Do you learn English at school?” “I finished school. I learn English by myself.” I answered. Madam was so impressed with me that she offered help, teaching me English online. After six months, my English greatly improved. I told Madam I planned to do a mechanics (机械学) course, which was free. How she responded changed my life forever: What if I give you the university fee?

I accepted her offer after she explained that helping me would make her happy. I remained hard-working at university. Each morning I rose at 6 a.m. to attend university. After class, I headed to work in the hotel. I stole minutes between suitcases (行李箱) to complete homework.

So far, I have completed my MBA. My life, my way of thinking and my opportunities are so different now, all thanks to Madam and the education I received. I began to think about the millions of Indian kids like me. If I could change my life, with the right help, they could change their lives too. So, with Madam’s support, I started a non-profit company to raise excellent learners and thinkers. I’m really happy because I’m doing something good for others, like Madam did for me.