< by JHK >

For years, I’ve had a recurring dream on Saturday nights.

I’m at an amusement park, waiting in line for the roller coaster. My turn comes, so I push through the turnstile and board a car. As the lap-bar locks into place, the car lurches forward. It clambers up. Clunk, clunk, clunk, like a mechanical caterpillar.

But the car doesn’t make progress. It climbs, but it never summits.

When I wake up, I’m either racked with anxiety or full of anticipation. I don’t put a ton of stock into dreams, but this one mirrors my experience with Sundays — they’re the uphill climb before the week begins. And what comes next is either going to be a joy or an ordeal.

This week, I plan to have a joy ride. I hope you do too, so I’ve pulled together a collection of joy-filled stories that highlight the goodness in tough situations.

In the next five days, you’ll hear the heartwarming stories of Hmong immigrants, anonymous benefactors, accident survivors, Pedicab drivers, and more. Enjoy!