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Woman in a baseball cap looking shocked and an elderly man.
Uplifting News

98-Year-Old Man Pays His New Neighbor a Visit - What He Does Next Leaves Her In Tears

Moving into a new neighborhood can be an exciting experience. But it can also be pretty daunting. After all, you can pick the house but you can't pick your neighbors.Last month, Kelly McDuff and her fiancé Garrison bought their first home in Richardson, Texas.Understandably she was feeling "a little nervous" about the move. Not only was it in an unfamiliar area, but it was in a completely new town.Turns out, she needn't have worried. Because when it comes to neighbors? She hit the jackpot.

Woman wearing a striped sweater and a handwritten note.
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Woman Complains About Her Noisy Neighbors In a Note - She's Stunned By Their Response

When it comes to neighbors you never know what you're going to get. Sometimes you hit the neighbor lottery and get someone who barely makes a sound.Other times, however, you get stuck with THAT neighbor: the one who blasts death metal at 3 AM or has a dog that WON'T.STOP.BARKING. Or, in this case, has kids who think practicing piano before the sun rises is a good idea (it's not).When London-based content creator Martina Panchetti's neighbors decided that the road to becoming famous concert pianists involved early morning practices she'd had just about all she could take. Wanting to avoid an uncomfortable confrontation, she wrote them a polite note to complain. She wasn't prepared for their response.

Left Image: Man poses with Fish | Right Image: Male Friends Pose On Bus
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Heartbroken Man Misses Grandmother's Funeral - His Coworkers Go on a Secret Mission

Living far from family is never easy, especially when you’re in a different country. The miles can feel insurmountable, particularly when tragedy strikes. For Jarom Ngakuru, a New Zealander of Māori descent living in the United States, this reality hit hard when he was unable to return home for his grandmother’s funeral.

Man in a checked shirt and security camera footage of a boy speaking to an older man.
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Boy Gives His Only Dollar to a Homeless Man - Is Shocked to Learn His True Identity

Friendships can spark in the least likely places. But when one nine-year-old boy tried to do a good deed on a Good Friday, it was the start of a friendship no one saw coming.

How Jennifer Aniston Saved Reese Witherspoon
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How Jennifer Aniston Saved Reese Witherspoon

Reese Witherspoon, portraying a flawless life alongside actor Ryan Phillippe, concealed a troubling secret for years. However, Jennifer Aniston played a pivotal role in unveiling this hidden truth, shedding light on Witherspoon's undisclosed struggles.

Jennifer Aniston Confronts Matthew Perry After She Broke His Heart
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Jennifer Aniston Confronts Matthew Perry After She Broke His Heart

Matthew Perry, adored for his role on "Friends," battled hidden struggles while Jennifer Aniston moved on with Brad Pitt. Despite his confession of feelings for Aniston and subsequent rejection, she noticed his suffering. Aniston's unwavering support and refusal to abandon him played a crucial role in helping Perry overcome his devastating addiction. How did she save Matthew Perry from himself?

Woman Explains Why Catch-Up Friendships Can Destroy Real Connection And How to Avoid the Trap
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Woman Explains Why Catch-Up Friendships Can Destroy Real Connection And How to Avoid the Trap

*Featured image contains photo by Andrea Piacquadio and Elina FairytaleWe've all heard the saying that the older we are, the smaller our circle gets...but this may not be for the reason we think. Social pattern expert Bianca Stelian, believes it's not just a matter of growing apart — but the way that we "catch up" when we're together.Have you found yourself stuck in the friendship rut? With no way to get out? If you woke up one day only to realize most of your meaningful relationships have stumbled into "no man's land," don't worry, you're not alone and this is for you.What Is a “Catch Up Friendship”Often growing up means getting closer to our dreams, but it doesn't come without sacrifice. Time is the precious thing we never have enough of. So, when it comes to seeing our old friends for our bi-annual "dinner and drinks," why don't we spend it wisely?“Every time you talk, you must start the conversation with many life updates. You have to hit every category: family, work, dating, social life, health, you get it. And before you know it, you’ve essentially spent 45 minutes interviewing each other like you’re on a reality show without really breaking past the surface.”Bianca Stelian, TikTokIn essence, a "catch up friendship" is a series of sporadic surface level connections that make old friends feel they're slowly drifting further instead of drawing closer. Two people ramble on about all the "big picture" moments in their life: They got engaged? Must have missed that on Facebook. They are working a completely different job? Thought they hated corporate culture. Their dear mother's fallen ill? Make sure to send flowers.And while yes, all these big moments are so important, they are not the sum total of the person we know and love. Somehow, after a rapid fire tennis match of "life updates" over 3 rounds (of cocktails), we end up going home, disheartened — feeling like we never even scratched the surface with how they are really doing. And sadly, they never quite got to to the heart of us either. We mistakenly chalk it up to being "different people."If this sounds familiar, check out the viral video below to hear the vicious cycle in her own words.Watch Bianca Stelian's Video: Does Growing Up Mean Your Friendships Are Fake?Of course not. The older you get, the more you have to plan in advance. Gone are the easy college days, where all your friends lived in a five block radius of each other. When you would waste the hours away grabbing coffee, watching a movie, or just studying near each other in silence.One day you wake up, and you're not a kid anymore. But that doesn't mean life isn't really good. Maybe you have the job you always wanted, or the partner you always dreamed of, or even just the best couch in the whole world to watch your favorite TV shows on. But in the famous words of Ferris Bueller, "Life moves pretty fast." And more often than not, all the extra time we used to spend with our friends is redirected to work or our family — sometimes we forget to stop and take a look around for the people who've been there since Day 1.One Simple Way to Break This “Nasty” CycleThe reality is, if we try and solve our "catch up friendship problems" by trying to schedule more frequent catch ups, we will be disappointed. Because it's not sustainable. You can't live a full adult life and still have the free time of a kid!According to Bianca Stelian, the best solution is to use social media to your benefit."Start posting your everyday little thoughts and life updates. It’s a wildly efficient way to reach a lot of people with a little bit of effort.” Bianca Stelian, TikTokIf knowing all the little things about a person is what a relationship is made up of — then share yours with your friends! "The posts don't have to be anything life changing," Stelian shares, "the smaller the better."Is “Growing Apart” a Myth About Growing Up?It's hard to say. When life gets so hectic, our instinct is to act from self preservation. You can't quit your job, you can't quit your kids, and you already got a divorce. So...looks like the friend who let you cheat off them for 4 years has gotta go! You didn't like her anyway...I mean come on, she let you cheat — that's a bad moral compass! It's easy to cut off lots of connections growing up, under the excuse that "we're in different places" or "we're different people." Suddenly, your high school bestie who nursed you through 8 back-to-back heartbreaks while you did a love spell on a poster of Aaron Carter, is just not the kind of person who want to be associated with!Now, sometimes it really is true. We grow up and we clash too much with people we used to laugh until we cried with. Take Derf McDerf for example! The author of My Friend Dahmer. Understandably, he wouldn't be too keen to schedule a friendship catchup via the Columbia Correctional Institution hotline.But it's not always the case. Ultimately, only you can decide what friendships to let go and which ones to nurture — neither are easy, but both are rewarding.More from Goalcast:Her Daughter Excluded Her Best Friend for Being “Too Fat” – Shocked Mom Takes Matters Into Her Own HandsWoman Who Lost Her Entire Family Waits for a Friend – But Someone She Wasn’t Expecting at All Shows Up InsteadMan Meets Up With Struggling Family at a Park – They’re Shocked to See His “Friend” Standing Behind Them

Woman Is Forced to Have Fun With Sketchy Men on Bachelorette Trip Then She Heard Voices Outside Her Door
Uplifting News

Woman Is Forced to Have Fun With Sketchy Men on Bachelorette Trip Then She Heard Voices Outside Her Door

*Featured image contains photo by Maksim Goncharenok and KoolShootersWe all have that one friend in our group. You know, the "cautious" one who toes the line of being a total wet blanket?If you're racking your brain and can't for the life of you figure out who the resident "killjoy" in your friend groups is...then spoiler alert: it's you! While being a bachelorette party's "buzz kill" does not seem like a badge of honor in the moment, one woman on Reddit is reminding us, that sometimes being the one with "gut instincts" isn't a bad thing. In fact, it's a really important survival skill that you should never ignore. Thankfully, this 24 year-old woman didn't. And even though she may have lost 5 friends in the process...at least she still has all 5 fingers on her hand!A Bachelorette Party in Italy Went Too FarA 24-year-old woman took to Reddit to share her harrowing story of a bachelorette trip gone wrong — and no, we're not just talking about one wild night turned into a "I'm never drinking tequila again" origin story.What happened next made a bad hangover look like a good day.Strangers Approached Them to Come Party at Their HouseGirl's trips can be really fun, but they can also be really frustrating. Getting a group of people to agree on anything is always difficult. Let alone 6 wine-drunk women in Italy?!So sometimes, the easiest way to decide things like 'where to eat', or — whether or not to stay in a remote mansion in a foreign country with total strangers — is to leave it up to a vote!Which is exactly what this bachelorette party did. There were 6 girls in total on the trip and when they met a group of attractive locals who wanted to "party" with them — they took a vote.Five of the women voted in favor of partying with these perfect strangers. But this one 24-year-old woman voted 'no.' She shared on Reddit that she "felt unsafe."“I Didn’t Trust These Men, Something Seemed Wrong.”"...We met some young people, they invited us to a party. We went and danced and met more people.. the night kept going on longer and we were very far from our lodgings. These young men with 2 women in their group told us to stay with them for the night.. I wasn’t feeling this situation. It felt unsafe but the group voted and I was in the minority. They were all quite inebriated and it was hard to be the only sober person trying to get them to reconsider and get a cab and go to our lodgings. I didn’t trust these men. Something seemed wrong. But I was at a loss as I could not split from my group and didn’t feel safe separating from them in the middle of the night..."Read Her Full Story Here.Her Friends Didn’t Listen to Her WarningIn her anonymous Reddit post, this young woman shared how isolating it can be to be the "odd man" out. She shared that unlike the bride-to-be she's not a "big drinker." That night they went out dancing, she was sober. Even though she wasn't drinking she was still having a good time. But as the night went on, and these strangers approached them, she was instantly suspicious of their intentions.She warned her girlfriends against going home with these men. But even though she was the only member of the group not intoxicated — none of them listened to her.Instead they made her feel left out for not wanting to "have fun." They all decided they were going to go ahead, with or without her.But the worst part was?Throughout the evening they had traveled so far from where they were staying, this young woman felt trapped.She didn't feel safe going home with these men...but she also didn't feel safe splitting from her group to take a cab back to their hotel alone.“I Pretended to Be Asleep”After she was pressured into staying the night, she couldn't help but stay up all night. She was too terrified to go to sleep. That's when she heard the voices outside her door..."We go to this house and settle in. In the middle of the night I hear attempts being made to enter our room.. the men entered even though we had locked the doors. I pretended to be asleep and the men were talking in Italian but it felt like they were checking on us and wanting to do something? They were quarreling with each other going back and forth it seemed. They ultimately left to argue outside.I didn’t sleep the whole night. I texted my boyfriend and told him what was happening. And how I felt unsafe.Next morning the group of girls I’m with decides we are going to stay another day because these men have offered to show us around. I didn’t want to get into a car with them because I found them creepy. There were women in their group but it didn’t matter. They seemed even more suspicious to me, being overly friendly. The whole morning I found the men staring at me a lot and also making some comments about my ethnicity - I am Korean and they could tell and it seemed that they were interested in me because of my ethnicity, asking me strange questions …including if I’m a virgin or not.. so in my head I could only think of perverted reasons for these questions because I thought these guys were sketchy and sizing us all up for some reason I couldn’t figure out yet.My friends said I was having a language barrier issue and I probably misunderstood.. they were liking the attention of these affluent seeming guys who were going to get us on a yacht. My suspicions and concerns went unheard..."Her Friends Were Furious When She Called Her Boyfriend to Rescue HerThe next morning she thought it was all over but it turns out it was only getting worse.The next day the creepy men offered to drive the women back to their hotel...but not for the reason you'd think.The strangers were trying ton convince the group of friends to cancel their hotel! They told them to pick up their luggages and spend the rest of their trip living with them at their house! It didn't take long for this young woman to snap out of her people pleasing. Enough was enough. She wasn't going to stay in an scary situation just to appease her friends. And why should she? Just because they prioritized their fun over her safety...doesn't mean she had to! She told her boyfriend everything that happened and thankfully, he didn't hesitate to come to her rescue. Before she left, she gave the entire bachelorette party one last chance to come with her. Sadly, they all refused. She ended up leaving the trip 4 days early...but in the end she didn't regret a thing.In the End She Was “Right” — But the Bride Still Held a GrudgeIt was later revealed to her by another friend on the trip that her instincts had been spot on all along.She wasn't a "buzz kill." She was just keeping her wits about her — and everyone else could have taken a page out of her book.However, she never heard back from her friend, the 32-year-old bride to be. They quickly fell out of touch and in the end, she didn't attend her wedding because of it.Ultimately, while losing a friendship is always hurtful, it's important to remember that at the end of the day, we always have to put our safety first.How One Woman Proved the Importance of Trusting Your InstinctsEven if this young woman hadn't been right about these strange men's intentions...she still would have done the right thing leaving the "party" early when she had...because for her it wasn't fun. It was over.And that's ok. Just because we arrive together, doesn't mean we need to leave together. The takeaway's pretty simple — we all have our own idea of fun. Some of us are adrenaline junkies who like living on the edge — sky diving sounds like a great Saturday afternoon! Some of us could literally not live farther from from the edge. We are safe, at home, with our cat and a good book and a warm glass of milk. Don't be demanding and respect other people's boundaries.We've all had that experience with a demanding friend...if you're racking your brain and can't for the life of you figure out who the resident "friendzilla" in your friend groups is...then spoiler alert: it's you! More from Goalcast:Bride Leaves Empty Seat for Late Son – Breaks Down When This Person Takes His Place InsteadBride Finds Out Something About Her Fiancé and Cancels the Wedding – Decides Not to Let the $15K Reception Go to WasteBride Who Lost Her Dad Is Unable to Have a Father-Daughter Dance – Little Did She Know, Her Brothers Had Something Planned

No One Shows Up to Boys Birthday Party TWO Years in a Row - Then Policemen Knock on His Door
Uplifting News

No One Shows Up to Boys Birthday Party TWO Years in a Row - Then Policemen Knock on His Door

When you’re a kid, birthdays are a big deal. Many of us grow up surrounded by parties and cake, and it’s nice to think that other people want to celebrate with you when you grow another year older. On the flip side, hosting a birthday party only to have no one come can be devastating — especially when you’re a kid.That’s what happened to a ten-year-old boy named Toxey in Arkansas. Luckily, some unexpected friends showed up to save his big day.A Huge DisappointmentToxey and his mom, Angela Andrews, had invited Toxey’s whole class to come and celebrate his birthday with him. On the big day, he got ready and waited for his friends to arrive… except nobody came. Not even the one kid who promised that he’d be there.It was heartbreaking for Toxey and devastating for his mom. No parent wants to see their child in pain and to feel so helpless. So she did the only thing she could think of to vent her frustration: she went on social media.“For the second year in a row, no one has come, no one,” she wrote on Facebook, as per Inside Edition. “It is absolutely heartbreaking watching him watch out the window all night for people to arrive and watch him cry when no one comes.”A Call to ActionAndrews’ post was noticed by a few people, including some Arkansas State Troopers. They decided to do something memorable for the little boy and remind him that he is indeed special. So a few days later, they showed up at his door bearing gifts.“[I was] scared but like, trying to figure out why they were there at the same time,” Toxey told KTHV. “They had just come to give me all that stuff and make up their own birthday party for me.”The officers brought a giant cookie birthday "cake" and presents ranging from video games to a Razor scooter. They also let Toxey try out the sirens and horns and check out their dog.“I cried a little bit because I was just so happy that they did that for me,” Toxey added.A Grateful MotherAndrews was also touched by the beautiful gesture and wrote a thank you note to the police department explaining how much it meant to her and her son.“I don't even know where to start because saying 'thank you' just doesn't seem good enough!” she wrote in a note the department then shared. “Not only did they bring him a birthday cookie cake, but they also brought him all kinds of presents, let him play with Rhino, the K-9, and play with the sirens in their cars.”She added how they took the time to play basketball with Toxey and shared his cake. Now, it’s a birthday this little boy won’t soon forget.“They made my sweet baby's day and his year!! Thank you from the bottom of my heart,” the mother continued. “I will never be able to repay the kindness you showed my family today!! Come on friends, let's make these guys famous! They deserve to be recognized for the wonderful people they are!!”The Importance of CommunityEveryone deserves to feel special on their birthday, so what happened to this boy was disappointing for him and his family. It reminds us of the importance of showing up and being there for one another to celebrate the big and small moments.This story also reminds us of the importance of community, and how big a difference a small gesture can make. These officers showing up for a boy they didn’t know meant the world to him, and probably restored his faith in humanity.It’s a sweet reminder in our own lives to show up when it matters and to make other people feel special when the occasion warrants. We’re all the main characters in our own lives, and by being there to celebrate or to remind someone else how much they matter, we too can help others feel like a beloved hero rather than an outcast.More from Goalcast:Little Boy Invites Friends to His Birthday Party, but No One Attends – Then a Cop Shows Up and Asks Him to Get in the CarNo One Shows Up to Excited 5-Year-Old’s Birthday Party – Until a Heartbreaking Post Gave Strangers an IdeaLonely 8-Year-Old Has No Friends to Invite to His Birthday Party – Then His Mom’s Plea Brings 65 Truck Drivers to Their Doorstep

Teen Works a Job for 2 Years - Brings Friend to Tears in Front of Classmates With a Surprise
Uplifting News

Teen Works a Job for 2 Years - Brings Friend to Tears in Front of Classmates With a Surprise

Brandon Qualls uses a wheelchair to get around. The hand-push model he had been using for years was becoming a pain for the Caddo Hills High School senior. “My arms would get really tired,” Brandon told News9 TV. Always There for Each OtherHowever, Brandon’s struggles didn’t go unnoticed by his friend Tanner Wilson. Tanner spent two years of savings (from working part-time at a car mechanic shop) to buy Brandon an electric wheelchair and surprised him with it in front of his classmates.“They came in and my face just blew up,” Brandon told News9. “I was just crying everywhere. I was like, ‘Wow I can’t believe he did that for me.’"“It’s been my dream to just have one of these,” Brandon added. “And my dream came true.”Watching the friends, it’s obvious how tight they are.He’s just been a really good friend and I wanted to do him a favor. I just felt like I needed to do it. … Brandon, he’s just always been there for me.Tanner Wilson to CNNDeserving RecognitionColleen Carmack, Tanner’s mom, told CNN he has been uplifted by all the media attention and smiles when he reads messages people have posted online about his good deed. She says the boys have been friends for years and that she’s proud of them.“They both deserve the attention because they’re both great and wonderful kids,” she said.But she says she’s not at all surprised.That’s him. He’s always been about everybody else and not himself.Colleen Carmack to CNNShe said Tanner has “had some bad experiences over the last year, so him being able to help somebody else has really brought him out -- being able to know that he made a difference. And I can see a difference in him -- like wanting to get out and do more. We’re talking about college. He’s had that goal, but he’s talking about it more now.”True FriendshipGinger Wray, one of Brandon’s teachers, contributed to the surprise by tricking out the chair with orange flames on the fenders and his last name on the back.“It’s awesome,” Brandon told News9, adding that he’s still getting used to driving his new wheels. “I may hit a few doors, but it’s worth it.”Tanner said he wishes “people would care more about others, than just themselves.” Well, his enormous act of kindness is setting a good example. More from Goalcast:Woman Tragically Loses Her Grandson in Accident – But His Friends Start Showing Up at Her House Every Week for Breakfast93-Year-Old Sneaks Out of Retirement Home and Hitches a Ride With Stranger – All for His GirlfriendBullied Little Boy Begs Neighbors to Help Him Find Friends – Looking At His Plight, They Raise $40K for Him