Hi, how are you?
We hope this finds you well. But if you are feeling a little down—which is totally valid and OK!—we're hoping this week's offerings in our weekly Feel Good Friday will bring a smile to you face, with one of the stories being all about the power of a friendly face in times of distress or anxiety.
As the public continues to practice social distancing, people are coming together in surprising ways to show their love and appreciation for one another. One husband in Texas made sure his wife knew she wasn't alone in the hospital even though he couldn't be in her room with her, while one friendly toddler isn't ready to stop having small talk just yet on his daily walks.
Plus, one Hollywood mogul decided to surprise at-risk grocery shoppers in the South by covering tabs at multiple supermarkets and another celebrity highlighted how big a small gesture can be with the help of her mailman.
Should you need a little pick-me-up, here are six uplifting stories to head into the weekend with...
Out of safety precautions, Albert and Kelly Connor cannot be together while she undergoes chemotherapy. However, this didn't stop Albert from showing his love for his wife.
The father of three held a sign outside of her room at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Sugar Land, Texas, that read, "I can't be with you but i'm here." He also thanked the hospital staff on his poster.
"I didn't feel right not being a part of it because I had promised her that I would be there every step of the way and I felt like I would be breaking my word," Albert told Good Morning America. "I just got a poster board and our kids and I colored it."
Well, if this doesn't make you smile, I don't know what will.
Meet Ralph, the friendliest 3-year-old who went viral this week after a video of him taking a walk was posted. "My 3-year-old nephew is the friendliest toddler you'd ever wish to meet, and always says hello to all the people he walks past," his uncle Toby Marriott wrote on Twitter, where the video was originally posted.
You see, Ralph is used to having a lot of people to say hi to on his walks, but since the streets are a bit more empty lately, he's been pretending to interact with people. "Hi! Hi! Good morning!" Ralph says to no one in the video as he walks down the street.
Consider your mood instantly lifted.
A respiratory therapist in San Diego wanted to help patients feel more at ease, so he came up with a unique way of providing them the comfort of a friendly smile, despite wearing a mask.
Yesterday I felt bad for my patients in ER when I would come in the room with my face covered in PPE," Robertino wrote on Instagram. "A reassuring smile makes a big difference to a scared patient. So today I made a giant laminated badge for my PPE. So my patients can see a reassuring and comforting smile."
Since Robertino's post, other health professionals have started doing the same.
Tyler Perry is doing what he can to help his community, picking up the tab at 29 grocery stores in the Louisiana and Atlanta area during the hour reserved for elderly and high-risk customers.
The mogul teamed up with Winn-Dixie to pick up the tab on April 8, and the supermarket company took to Twitter to thank the New Orleans native, "Thank you to our friend @tylerperry for paying it forward... Winn-Dixie applauds your love for community and sincere generosity. #StrongerTogether #WinningTogether."
Perry, 50, also paid the grocery bill for shoppers at 44 Atlanta-area Krogers stores during the hour designated for older and high-risk shoppers, helping nearly 3,000 senior citizens.
Just keep playin'! That was Matthew McConaughey's message to virtual bingo players when he unexpectedly joined their special group to call the numbers and showed off his rousing announcing skills.
In a video shared by the Spectrum Retirement Communities, the Oscar winner, who has also donated money to help those impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, was joined by his wife Camila Alves, their kids, and his mother, Kay, to reveal the numbers.
In a statement, the retirement home said the small and surprising act of kindness "gave [the residents] hope and was the boost that they needed to get through this lonely, challenging time."
If you are craving more McConaughey feel-good content, he's also been re-watching some of his old movies on Instagram, sharing behind-the-scenes tidbits and his take on them now in a series he's calling McConaughey Takes. First up? How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days. You're welcome
Let Sophia Bush and her mailman remind you how simple it can be to be kind.
JP has been the One Tree Hill star's UPS delivery man for a long time, with Bush writing on Instagram, "He's one of my favorite people to see at my front door, or on the road when I'm walking my dogs. He's full of joy and always has a great big "hello!" to offer, which never fails to result in a huge smile from residents."
So when she made a massive batch of chicken stew and bone broth, she decided to bottle it in mason jars and hand out to her neighbors and neighborhood essential workers, like JP.
"It's a small act of kindness, within my control in an out of control world. Cooking and serving reminded me that we can steer our own ships at any time," Bush captioned a social-distance selfie with JP. "So. Whatever way you might be able to extend yourself to a neighbor, a friend, or an essential worker today, I encourage you! Love ya, JP!"