These Heartwarming Moments Show Us the Bright Side of the Internet

Unfortunately, not every day can be the perfect day. Sometimes we get overwhelmed by life, work, or just have a plain old bad day. While this helps us to appreciate the good days, it doesn’t make the bad days any better. Thanks to the miracle of the Internet, we don’t have to be sad for long. Just a quick search and you can find all sorts of cute and heartwarming stories, from tales of child heroes to cute pictures of dogs. Who can resist looking Below, we have included 45 pictures of things designed to brighten your day and make you feel a bit better. We guarantee that at least one of these will make you smile!

#1: Jaws: The Good Boi

Most people tend to let their guard down in lakes. Besides some pretty large fish, there usually isn’t anything too dangerous in these large bodies of water. However, that isn’t the case in Lake Wanaka, where a shark was reported to be seen!

Thankfully, this is one of those rare, harmless sharks. Instead of giant, sharp teeth, this shark is full of fur, and will generally let people swim by with only a few head scratches and maybe a tennis ball as payment. This shark will leave you with a smile every time you see it.

Many people know about animal markets and the harm they cause. Not only is it an awful place for animals to be subjected to, but it also negatively impacts a lot of endangered species. There are people throughout the world that want to help but are unsure of where to start.

This man lives close enough to one of these markets that he can personally step in and help. He regularly goes to the market to buy an endangered sea turtle or two. However, instead of eating them, he releases them back into the ocean where they belong. We wonder if he has a GoFundMe so that people can help support his altruism.

Pets are great friends and companions for anyone. While we provide them shelter and food, they give us companionship, love, and something to take care of. While some people find this trade a good one, others take it a step beyond to ensure their pets get the best treatment they can.

This dad is one of them. He plays guitar for his dogs to give them a show they will never forget. And judging by how focused the dogs look, all three seem to enjoy it. Who knew dogs understood good music so well? I guess it shouldn’t come as a surprise; they’re very clever animals! Thanks for sharing this with the world, Carol!

Adoption is already such an amazing thing for anyone to do. Though chosen and found family is often much stronger than blood, adopting a child isn’t easy, and we praise anyone for being selfless enough to be able to perform such an act. Most families decide to adopt somewhere between one and three children.

This man adopted five at once! To keep their family together, he managed to adopt five siblings, all young, to take care of. However, that isn’t the only act of kindness this man has done. Throughout his lifetime, he has adopted and fostered over 40 children to make sure they had a better life. Our heart warms not only for this amazing man but for the children that don’t have to wait for a family any longer.

With fast food dominating the market and people having so much to do, we as a whole have come to expect our food done fast. Unfortunately, to get faster food, we oftentimes sacrifice quality for speed. Sometimes, it’s even hard to find a simple meal that isn’t made quickly and without thought, and it might feel that if you want food made with care, you have to go to an expensive restaurant or make it at home.

There are some places that still care about food, though, and don’t want to sacrifice quality for quantity. While, at the moment, it may seem irritating to have to wait for your meal, it is well worth it when you get to take your first bite and realize the difference. These sandwiches at Dante’s are a great example of these practices.

Life happens, and unfortunate things can get in our way or derail our plans. Sometimes, it is hard to get back up when life knocks us down. But that doesn’t mean we have to give up. In fact, pushing through difficult times can often make you stronger and more appreciative of what you have.

For this person pictured, we are sure she feels the same. Even without a background in this picture, we can feel joy for her as she struggles to continue growing, despite how life interfered with her plans. Though we are sure she experienced some very bad days, she continued to work hard and eventually returned to doing what she is passionate about.

Unfortunately, sometimes taking off for the holidays just isn’t possible. Someone has to work to make sure other people can enjoy their holidays. This is especially true in the case of first responders and hospital workers and was the case for this man pictured below. He was on call, so he couldn’t spend time with his family on Christmas.

But his dad wasn’t going to take no for an answer. Instead of letting his son stay at the hospital alone during the holidays, his dad signed up to shadow in the hospital, all so he could spend time with him during Christmas. If that doesn’t show you how important family is, I don’t know what will.

Around holidays like Christmas, Easter, and even Halloween, the purchase of pets jumps up pretty high. While this sounds great, the downside is that the returns are almost equally as high shortly after the holidays. A lot of shelters have put bans on certain animals or colors of pets during this time, but pet stores generally sell animals all year round.

This pet store, though, is taking the initiative. Not only are they not selling bunnies around Easter, but they took the time and effort to explain why they aren’t selling the pets and that you can still buy a rabbit after Easter if that’s what you really want.

Everyone wants to know the secret to a perfect, long-lasting relationship. Some couples only make it a few months, while others can last for the rest of their life with one person. I personally have grandparents who have been together since middle school and are still incredibly happy and in love with one another. When you ask what the secret is, sometimes people explain it in a complicated way.

To have it put so simply like this picture above is refreshing and makes us feel like there is hope for the world. Plus, it is so true. You can achieve happiness by fully accepting someone without any expectations of change or perfection, as we see with this amazing couple on their 35th anniversary.

When you think of a unicorn, you may think about an elegant white horse with a horn coming out from its head. While this is one version of a unicorn, you may be surprised to find out there is another furrier version to the magical creature.

Meet the unicorn dog. Thanks to its miracle body, when it lost one ear, this puppy’s body adapted, shifting the ear up into the center of the head for maximum hearing. Whatever the reason, we can’t deny that it is super cute and definitely adds some brightness to our day!

Everyone is afraid of revealing themselves to people, but it can be especially scary when those people are your parents. No matter how close you are to your family, it can be frightening to take that big step to tell them who you really are. Even though they are expected to love us unconditionally, we don’t want them to see us differently.

Thankfully, this person doesn’t have to worry. His parents accepted him and were more than happy to accept and adjust to his change. It’s always heartwarming and comforting to know that parents out there truly love their kids through thick and thin, even as they age and change.

Some people are just inherently good, and they start off at a young age helping others. Sometimes, all it takes is a small gesture, like taking care of a younger sibling or trying to feed people in need. Other times, that kindness reveals itself in bigger ways.

Such is the case with Davyon Johnson. He had two opportunities to help those who needed it, and he took the time to help both in one day. Not everyone can say they would be brave enough to jump into a house on fire to save a woman – especially not at 11 years old – but he did without a second thought. Davyon Johnson, everybody!

Dogs are our close companions and often hold dear places in our hearts. They also have a shorter lifespan; we can watch them go from a puppy to an older dog in just a decade or two. Sometimes, time creeps up on us, and we look back on pictures that show us how they grew up so quickly.

While it is always sad to see a dog aging, it is also sweet to see an old dog happy and healthy with caring owners. We can see that here with Lucas. He just turned 14, and his mom decided to celebrate by taking him out to get lots of love and attention. We know this dog is in good hands with his pet parent.

When it comes to adoption, a lot of the time, people prefer to adopt younger children or even babies. It is a sad truth that not a lot of teenagers are adopted. However, the parents that do adopt older kids take a lot of time and effort to make sure their child is loved and feels welcome in their new household, no matter how many years they have left until they are an adult.

This family decided to celebrate the adoption going through in style. They did a whole photo shoot full of amusing pictures as if they had a pregnancy photoshoot. Despite meaning to be on the funny side, you can clearly see the love in all three of these people, and we are sure they are incredibly thankful to have met one another.

Life has its ups and downs, and sometimes, it may feel like there are a lot more downs than ups. No matter what age you are, sometimes you simply feel stuck in place and like things won’t get any better. It’s easy to feel like all hope is lost, but if that ever happens to you, just think of the butterfly.

And there are plenty of people to remind us of this. Take this tweet above. Jennifer Wright takes the time to describe the beauty of butterflies and how sometimes they take a while to turn from a caterpillar to a beautiful butterfly. The same is true of people. Even if you feel like a mess or stuck in place, all you need is a little time and effort before you pop right out of that chrysalis.

With all of the news and negative messages out there, we can sometimes forget that we are all just people trying to get by. Everyone hits hard times at some point in their lives, and unfortunately, some people hit them harder than others. There are times when you may feel alone or helpless.

Posts like these help you to remember that it isn’t the case. Despite the negativity we see around us sometimes, there is plenty of good in the world. Take this restaurant, for instance, which is willing to offer a helping hand to anyone who just needs a little help or food.

It can be scary to try something new; that’s why the comfort zone is called a “comfort zone.” A new hobby might end in complete disaster or lead to something you aren’t happy with, and it might be scary to try something out, especially if you have a fear of failure, as many of us do.

It is always good to be reminded that while things might not necessarily turn out like you want them to, they can still work out, and might even turn out better. This woman decided to try and embroider her bad pair of pants expecting something to go wrong, but instead, she found she loved the result. Even if it isn’t perfect, it is adorable and unique.

Having a hobby like knitting or crocheting is great until you find yourself with a lot of random pieces of clothing and blankets lying around. It can be hard to figure out what to do with your practice socks or hats. The same thing happens to people who bake as a hobby – what do you do with all these delicious pastries? You may even give up the hobby for a while because you have too many items just sitting around not being used.

This person decided to turn their habit into something good. Instead of letting all of that fabric sit around wasted, they decided to offer it to those in need. They regularly make hats and scarves and hang them up on a tree in their neighborhood with a sign that it is free to anyone, as long as they leave the clothespins for the next set of items they make.

There are certain times we expect small acts of kindness, such as when someone opens the door for us or lets us cross the street while they are driving. While they are still meaningful, sometimes we let these actions be overlooked. And sometimes, it’s even more touching when it comes from an unexpected place.

These unexpected moments catch our attention, no matter the size. For example, imagine driving down the road and seeing this sign on the back of a random vehicle. In a situation we don’t expect kindness, it can warm the heart and make your whole day better.

Bringing dogs along to coffee shops and breweries is becoming the norm in many places, and some even cater to your furry companion with water bowls or whipped cream cups, but that is usually all they get. While we are sure your pup doesn’t mind, it can still be nice to give them a treat while they are sitting with you.

This restaurant makes sure your pup can have a nice meal as well. The dishes are simple but a nice treat we are sure that any pup will enjoy, plus they get a free bowl of water! At least we know our pets will get the same care we do when we go out to eat. It’s nice that some places make sure pet owners know their furry friends are welcome.

Christmas is all about giving, family, and love. What better way to show that Christmas spirit than by repurposing an old Christmas tree and using it to hang up clothes for those in need? It is a way to not only recycle an old tree and unused clothes but provides clothes to those who need a little more warmth.

The best part is that anyone can participate if they want, adding their own clothes for those in need, and anyone can stop by and grab what they need without having to ask or explain themselves. It’s always nice when a whole community works together to better everyone’s lives.

Most good parents constantly struggle to know if they made the right choices. Perhaps they did something wrong and have harmed their child mentally in some way, or their child doesn’t feel as comfortable around them as they should. For many parents, it can cause a lot of doubt as their kid grows up.

But an image like this puts all those doubts to sleep. These parents can rest assured knowing their kid feels safe and comfortable with them. This is about the best piece of proof you can ever receive from your child to know that you are doing the right thing, and we can only imagine the happiness and joy the parents felt at seeing this picture.

Sometimes we are faced with difficult decisions in life, especially when it involves pets that can’t take care of themselves. This man had to make the hard choice to give up his dog to a shelter when he had to spend a long time in the hospital; ultimately, it was the right thing for his dog. We can’t imagine how heartbroken he was going into the hospital knowing he would never see his furry friend again.

Or so he thought. Instead, he was surprised when one of his nurses brought in his dog to visit him. When she learned about what happened, she went out of her way to adopt. Every day she brings the dog to visit the man and promises to let them leave the hospital together as soon as he is better. If that doesn’t make you tear up a little (or cry uncontrollably, don’t judge), I don’t know what will.

Fathers are supposed to help their kids overcome fears, and sometimes, that means getting on stage with them and helping them finish that dance routine. Our dads are supposed to instill confidence in us and a sense of self-efficacy so that we feel like the sky is the limit, and that’s what this father did!

We love that all the parents in the crowd filming their daughters caught this sweet gesture on video! Someone even took it to the next level and shared this heartwarming video on social media. And his baby even made a guest appearance on stage! We just crowned this dad Father of the Year. Deal with it.

Say this isn’t one of the sweetest things you’ve read in a while. Go on, we dare you! One morning, this man was woken up by a loud knocking on his door; as he opened the door, he was surprised to see a kid staring back at him. He said he missed the bus and there’s no one who can take him to school.

He knocked on three doors, trying to find a neighbor who was willing to help, with no luck. Without giving it a second thought, this man drove the kid to school on the spot. He knows how important it is for young kids to get an education, and if a kid goes out of his way to actually go to school – how could you not help him?

Sometimes, by helping other people, we end up helping ourselves. We know it sounds like a cliche, but this story right here is all the proof we need. This husband wanted to help his wife by donating her a kidney. However, he wasn’t in very good shape, and going through that kind of surgery could’ve risked his life.

So, this man realized that in order to be able to help his wife, he had to get into shape. After a full year of dieting and exercising, he could finally have the surgery and donate his kidney to his wife. Without even realizing it, while trying to help his wife, he ended up helping himself! We’re sure they’re both living their best life now together.

It isn’t easy to be different in our world, and sometimes children with disabilities suffer the most. They handle people and situations differently and can be overwhelmed rather quickly. Thankfully, there are people out there who understand their needs and take steps to bring comfort to others.

One thing almost everyone can relate to is pets, specifically dogs and cats, who bring joy to many people with different needs. There’s a reason we rely on them for emotional support or as service providers. And though the owner of the cat was the one that stepped up and tried to comfort the child, the boy made sure he thanked the animal that actually provided him a moment of happiness.

People generally want to help each other out but aren’t always sure how to get started or simply don’t have the ability to take time off to volunteer. Thankfully, some places make it easy to make small donations or help people out in simple ways.

Take this store, for example. They simply put out a coat rack and a sign saying you can either take a jacket or leave one. So if you have a bunch of unused jackets lying around, just bring them by on your next shopping trip. What you don’t see in the picture is that people are going above and beyond to help, such as leaving boots for those who need them.

It’s the small things in life that make it all worthwhile. Everyone knows to stop and enjoy the roses, but the same concept applies to anything else in life. People often take things for granted, especially when life feels hectic. We often forget to just stop and enjoy those little things we often take for granted.

Well, this kid can teach us a thing or two about life. He not only took the time to stop and appreciate the rain but managed to get his dad involved. Not only are they appreciating nature, but they are doing it together and spending quality time with one another. What can beat that?

Parents sometimes make up crazy stories to explain things or rules to children. From the Tooth Fairy to waiting an hour after eating before going swimming, there are all sorts of stories that children believe far into adulthood. However, sometimes kids also make up their own creative explanations.

Such is the case here. This little girl saw a woman covered in tattoos and was convinced that her mom had to put them on every morning. She was curious to know how it works and was super polite about it! How can you not feel all warm inside after reading that? We bet the person the kid asked was pretty tickled too.

It’s a pretty common occurrence that puppies are separated from their parents and siblings at a fairly young age. Usually, eight weeks is when dog breeders will start to sell off puppies. Unlike people, we can’t ask dogs how this separation affects them, and we assume they won’t remember, like babies.

Well, in cases like this, we see that even if they don’t remember, they can still recognize each other. Imagine walking through the park and finding a long-lost brother you never knew you had! We just hope that they continue to get to hang out from now on!

We all fear different things in life, big and small. Some people have an irrational fear of elevators, others are afraid of spiders. Fears have no age limit, and these irrational fears don’t magically go away as we get older; on the contrary, they might get even worse with age. That was the case for this gentleman, who was paralyzed at the top of the escalator.

Luckily for him, this guy spotted his distress and wanted to help! He simply offered to take that ride with him and hold his hand, and that’s all this man needed; someone to hold his hand as he took this leap. He didn’t make fun of him, ignore him, nor force him to get on. Instead, he just offered his arm and kindly asked if he needed some help.

Siblings can either be your biggest pain or your biggest supporter, and they can often be both at once. Our siblings would often go above and beyond to make sure we’re happy, and sometimes that means helping us in small ways we don’t even realize. They don’t do it for the recognition, they simply do it because they care.

While a dollar might not be much, we are sure for his little sister, it is a lot. Plus, it really is the thought that counts. Just to know that his sister puts in the effort to give him something to make him happy and doesn’t even take credit for it, what could be better than that?

When someone needs to sign to communicate, it can often make them feel left out of “normal” activities. So, having someone that takes the time and effort to communicate with you can mean the world. This little girl decided one day that she wanted to learn sign language to be able to communicate with a kid at her school.

As if that wasn’t wholesome enough, the story continues. Not only did this little girl work hard so that she could be friends with a kid at school, but years later, they became a couple, and eventually got married. All thanks to the time she put in to talk with him. If that isn’t love, I don’t know what is.

Tattoos are often associated with drunken mistakes or things that people will regret when they are older. But they can also be used as a way to save memories on your body forever. A lot of people will get tattoos of the faces of loved ones or a name to remember the people they care for.

This person used body ink to keep an even stronger memory alive. To keep the memory of her grandmother and all of her wonderful memories being there, the poster actually got a tattoo of the tea set she always used while there. Now, even if something happens to the set, she will always have the memory close to her.

Kids can often be just plain mean. They start fights, leave other kids out of the fun, and even bully others. But luckily, some kids know how to treat others with kindness and respect. As we have seen in some of these other posts, those simple acts of kindness can really shine on those that need it.

When this father took his son to his classmate’s birthday party, he was surprised to hear that his son was the only one invited- because he was the only one who treated this kid with kindness. While he was sad to hear that all the other kids were mean to this boy, he was probably proud to know that his son was one of the good ones.

People often buy plants only to neglect them and let them die. While they don’t need as much care and attention as pets or children do, they still need some love. Fresh water, sunlight, and proper soil are key factors in a plant’s well-being. Unfortunately, some places just don’t provide enough light for a plant, even when it’s placed near a window.

When this little girl found out her plant wasn’t getting enough sun, she was determined to do something about it. Now, she takes the plant on a daily walk. This allows the little plant to get some much-needed sunlight, and everyone gets to have a little exercise to make their day better. It’s a win-win!

Guide dogs and service dogs are important to their owners but are often overlooked when it comes to the recognition they deserve. Though they play an important role in many people’s lives, you often don’t see them in pictures. It’s a shame, because they’re quite photogenic!

Luckily, everyone made sure this dog wasn’t overlooked. Though they are still in training, they managed to get their very own picture for the school they visited. And with these pictures alone, you can see how great of a service dog he is going to be. He’s got the looks and the focus in his eyes!

While a weather app can be nice to help plan out your day, there’s something to be said for learning the information face-to-face. However, not everyone has the time (or energy, honestly) to watch the news to get a weather report every night, so what is the solution?

This poster managed to find one in their coworker. Not only do they get the weather report, but they have someone that cares enough to ask about their weekend. While it is wholesome to have a coworker like this, we are sure Bill appreciates having someone to talk to as well.