Positively Uplifting Stories | September 22 2025

It’s the simple things in life that hold the power to heal and uplift us.

A few moments of kindness can change someone’s life. Imagine the impact we could make if we consciously chose to practice empathy and do something kind instead of wasting precious moments judging others or holding onto anger.

The most profound transformations often begin with the smallest actions.

"Empathy is seeing with the eyes of another, listening with the ears of another, and feeling with the heart of another." - Alfred Adler

This week, we bring you four heartwarming stories of people who are creating positive change in small yet powerful ways.

• A young boy spreads kindness by giving free compliments
• An online group connects people looking for intergenerational relationships
• A grandson’s post brings new customers to his grandma’s shop
• A man finds inspiration in turning paper bags into works of art

Positively Uplifting Stories | September 22 2025

9-year-old boosts people’s self-esteem with free compliments.

It’s raining compliments at Ethan Wargo’s special stand!

The 9-year-old has set up a free compliment stand in Sycamore, Illinois, to brighten the moods of passersby.

With his simple act of kindness, this young boy hopes to reach out and bring joy to as many people as possible.

Word is spreading quickly. His "compliment stand" is attracting visitors from miles away!

"I was really kind of caught off guard by just how strong a reaction people had to it," said Ethan's mother, Jessica Wargo.

Family builds a beautiful relationship with a surrogate grandmother.

Anteres Anderson Turner and Louis Turner wanted their twin boys, Caden and Cameron, to experience the special bond of having a grandparent.

Less than 100 miles away, Janet Firestein Daw was looking for grandchildren to dote on.

For many families, distance, busy schedules, or strained relationships can stand in the way of meaningful intergenerational connections.

Through the Surrogate Grandparents USA Facebook page, the Turner family connected with Janet.

Now lovingly called “Nana J,” she has become an integral part of the Turner family!

"It's been like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. She's been on trips with us, we've celebrated Hanukkah, she's gone to the library with us, so many different things that I desperately wanted for my kids, and we get that with Janet," said Anderson Turner.

Grandson surprises his grandma by putting her shop into the spotlight.

Rosanne Forster has been selling her handmade gifts at Forster's Craft Corner in Holdingford, Minnesota, for nearly 30 years.

However, lately, business had been slow.

Her 18-year-old grandson, Tyler, decided to help by posting a listing for her shop on Facebook Marketplace. Tyler’s heartfelt message about his grandmother touched many people.

Soon, the shop began attracting a wave of new visitors. Rosanne was both surprised and delighted by the sudden influx!

"It's been fun, and I've met a lot of wonderful people, and they had good stories, you know, as to that they went out of their way just to come to see me and help me out," said Rosanne.

Man finds new purpose after drawing on his daughter’s lunch bags.

Ryan Wosleger, aka the "Snack Bag Dad," found his new calling during the pandemic.

Ryan began drawing on snack bags to cheer up his daughter. He found that creating art gave him an outlet for self-expression, something he hadn’t been able to explore in his job in the insurance industry.

Inspired by this newfound passion, Ryan decided to pursue a master’s degree in art education.

His paper bags became a hit with his daughter’s classmates as well as thousands of people online!

Now Ryan teaches kids and parents across Long Island how to turn ordinary lunch bags into wonderful works of art.

"The light bulb moment was drawing with my daughter. I sent her to school, to nursery school, with a snack bag. I noticed that she was coming home happier. She wasn't as homesick, and I realized that I was happier too," said Ryan.  

Have a Great Week Everyone!

Sometimes you don't even need to go out of your way to help someone. 

From Ethan's compliment stand to Ryan bringing joy and fun to people's lunch bags, spreading kindness and inspiration to people can cost nothing - and mean everything. 

This week, look for opportunities to make someone else's day a little easier.

Reaching the top shelf for someone at the grocery store, holding a door for someone behind you, leaving a positive review for a business that gave you great service. It may not seem like much, but each of these can really brighten someone else's day. 

Have a great week ahead and thank you for reading!