Good News: Weddings, College Graduates, and Gratitude

Here are a few more good news stories making the rounds . . .

1.  A 60-year-old truck driver in North Carolina named Michael Abernathy got married on October 2nd.  Then four days later, he bought a scratch-off ticket . . . and hit the lottery for a million bucks.

2.  A new study found that gratitude is the most common positive emotion we feel.  87% of Americans said they feel grateful in general.  85% also said happy, and 75% said they’re optimistic.

3.  23 prison inmates in California graduated from college last week.  They were part of a program run by Cal State, and even got their own graduation ceremony inside the prison.

4.  Remember this guy?  An 81-year-old pianist in England named Paul Harvey was in the news last year after his son got him to do an old party trick where he’d take four random notes, and turn them into a song.  A video of it went viral.  Then the BBC’s orchestra did a full version, and used it to raise money for charity.

Now there’s an update:  For the full version, the orchestra had to record all their parts from home while they were in lockdown.  But they recently invited Paul to come record it with them again . . . this time in person . . . and there’s a video of it online.  They also let him conduct.  His son says Paul cried when they extended the offer.