The Lighter Side Of Life - Happy News Stories You May Have Missed This Year
We can safely say that this year has well and truly turned itself on its head. When I think back to all the news stories that have manifested and been gossiped about to fellow co-workers or friends - even family members - they have been all the horrifying shock-o-horror headlines. These include the deaths due to coronavirus, the deaths of some absolute legends in the culture sector (Naya Rivera from Glee, and more recently when editing this, Drag race star Chi Chi DeVayne), the Beirut attacks, the murder of George Floyd, and job losses. All of these things have caused a butterfly effect of depressed moods amongst anxious citizens who are constantly refreshing their pages for a lightning moment of positive news - which is yet to arrive.
I feel like somehow, the media has lost sight of some of the miraculous events that have continued, and always will continue to exist. I understand the need to document the travesties and show some of these complex topics in a light which can be easily understood by anyone reading - whether that be a mature adult or a young person. I feel now is the time to focus on the positives. This will hugely increase our livelihoods, welfare and our mood - which has been recently dropped into the gutter.
So, I am here to make these dreams a reality, and provide a wonderful list of some of the incredible things that may have been missed. We need to remember that the media filters the news in order to make people want to click on news stories with controversial headlines, which are far from in touch with reality.
Coronavirus caused many lives to be taken early - and we have all seen the stories that have made us weep - but many people were able to make a full recovery and be discharged. One of these worth mentioning, as a whole list could be made, is Maria Branyas from Spain, who is said to be the oldest person in the world to have survived COVID-19, as she had just reached her 113th birthday. This is coming from one of the hardest hit countries - in Spain corona has taken the lives of almost 30,000 people. And this lady, despite the odds not being in her favour, succeeded in the battle against the virus and promoted her life lessons in how to cope with this in the future.
There have been so many news stories over the past few months which have shown the world in such a new light - some which were rather unexpected.
Venice has rejuvenated with thriving species of water life, such as the jellyfish, as the canals have halted tourism and boat travel. The reduction of boat travel, which would usually bring sediment to the top of the water’s surface, has allowed nature to return to the Italian hot-spot. Citizens of Northern India are able to see the view of the Himalayan mountain range for the first time in their lives. In Jalandhar, in northern Punjab, people have shared pictures of the mountains from rooftops - a view which has been hidden by pollution for 30 years.
Captain Sir Thomas Moore - or to most known as ‘Captain Tom’ - a former member of the British Army walked 100 laps of his garden and raised a staggering £32 million for the NHS in the run-up for his 100th birthday. It is the highest amount that anyone has ever raised on a global scale; this amazing success story should be heralded by the world, along with the incredible man who made it possible.
The art of letter writing has had a complete resurgence in recent months due to the nature of coronavirus, allowing us to have time to write and check up on people we may have not had time to previously see. An 11 year old named Emerson Webber hit the headlines very quickly when she decided to write a letter to her postman, which captured the hearts of not only that postman, but many others from across the globe. Her story is also going to become a children’s book, taken up by publishing house HarperCollins.
A story that would usually pass right by me - yet gave me absolute joy - was the breakthrough discovery of a mutant Enzyme crusher. This paves the way to a more sustainable planet! As we are all aware, due to the climate crisis, discoveries such as this are vital, and yet are not talked about enough. Instead, we are bombarded with headlines such as ‘[blank] has a new tattoo’, or ‘[blank] has split from partner’’. Like, who really cares about some of this rubbish? Scientists have created an enzyme which can break down plastic bottles in a matter of HOURS. Carbois, a French startup behind this discovery, aims for this to be recreated on an industrial scale within the next five years. As it has been engineered from bacteria, it reduces the polyester within the bottle, and can still make high quality new ones.
Vienna is set to become one of few places that will reward those who walk, use public transport and cycle paths, all through a smartphone app which will track the distance covered and the C02 saving. They will receive ‘culture’ tokens which can then be used within cultural venues such as the Vienna Museum or the Kunsthalle (hall for contemporary art). Not only does this scheme benefit the environment, it will help the cultural sectors that have been hard hit during coronavirus to thrive.
A random browse on my phone lead me onto an article written in The Plymouth Herald about a woman from America who met a man in a bar in Plymouth, south Devon 2 years ago, and is still apparently trying to find this man. She gave him the wrong mobile number by missing the area code, and hasn’t found that spark in anyone else since, and felt he ‘had gotten away’. I know what you may be thinking- why does this sound strangely like a terrible romantic comedy novel from the 80s?
It gave me a lot of joy reading that this woman went to such lengths to try and find her mystery man, despite thinking that he may be in a new relationship, and only knowing his first name, and the bar that they had attended. She even created an Instagram account called ‘HelpKateFindAdam’ and uploaded a photo of the man, which gained a lot of following and news coverage. She said that she hoped whoever saw the message would "believe in fairy tales and love at first sight" and if not, she could be the crazy American girl trying to find Adam".
What do all of these articles have in common? They are uplifting stories within the heart.
Despite the fact that they all have different messages within them, the overarching lesson to take is that whatever a news story may bring to you personally, even if it isn’t something regarded as highly important at the top of newspapers, it is still worth reading. No time is ever wasted in gaining some more knowledge about the changing world around you, and these glimpses are a just a small splash in the huge ocean of news.
You may even gain knowledge which you can use to impress your family, friends, or co-workers alike which they can also pass on to their friends. Before you know it, you can go viral on Twitter with the news story that you may have thought was insignificant.
Written by Megan Evans
I am a 19 year old undergraduate student in my second year studying English Literature at Cardiff University. Writing has been an ambition of mine for many years, and I am hoping to pursue a career in journalism in the future, due to my undying love for magazine publications.
My plans for the future are to do an MA in Magazine Journalism after I finish my final year and I have recently been offered two amazing roles at multi-award winning publications at Cardiff University Media: advice columnist position for Gair Rhydd newspaper, and culture editor for Quench magazine. I am hoping to contribute regularly to this magazine alongside other commitments, because I value the opportunity to write particularly on topics that are typically understated.