We all love a good underdog montage – Rocky had the steps, the Karate Kid had the dojo… and 84-year-old grandpa Lex James had his driveway. After a painful fall left him with a back injury, Lex trained lap after lap so he’d be strong enough to walk his granddaughter down the aisle. 🥹 We could all do with channeling Lex’s spirit a bit. Check out his story - and so much more - below.

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Happy Headlines 📰

It’s not all doom and gloom out there. Here’s some positive news items from publications around the world.

🏎️💨 7-Year-Old’s Trash Can Hustle Ends in Lambo Parade
Forget lemonade stands—this mini mogul started a trash can cleaning business. His grateful neighbors thanked him in style: with a roaring parade of Lamborghinis down his street. (Yahoo)

🧸 Girl Designs Bears For Children With Spinal Conditions
A 13-year-old is sewing stuffed bears that come complete with casts and braces – so children with scoliosis see their conditions reflected in their cuddly companions. (Good Morning America)

🦸 Drone Squad Rescues Missing Grandma
When a 70-year-old woman vanished into the woods, a Tennessee team of drone heroes swooped in. They found her safe and sound and reunited her with her family. (Sunny Skyz)

☀️ Balcony Solar Panels Power the People
Who says only homeowners can go green? Mini solar panels are popping up on balconies across America – giving apartment dwellers their shot at joining the clean energy revolution. (EQ Mag)

🐋 Whale Comeback Splashes Hope Off Australia
Southern right whales are breaching in record numbers thanks to a decade of conservation wins – a positive sign that endangered species can make a glorious comeback. (Guardian)

👩‍🏫 Teacher Gives Colleague’s Husband the Ultimate Gift
In a lesson in kindness no one will forget, one teacher donated her kidney to her coworker’s husband—moving an entire school community to tears. (ABC News)

💍 Man Digs Through 18 Tons of Trash to Find Wife’s Ring
Armed with love (and a strong stomach), a husband sifted through mountains of compost to recover his wife’s lost wedding rings - and struck gold within an hour (luckily for him). (CTV News)

💭 Scientists Pinpoint Protein That Counters Memory Loss
A new study shows a protein that could help slow cognitive decline as we age – potentially making those “where’d I put my keys?” moments a little less frequent. (MSN)

🌳 Washington Creates 77,000 Acres of Legacy Forests
That’s the size of 58,250 football fields now protected for future generations. The trees of tomorrow just got a huge new home. (Good News Network)

🍼 New Baby Test Spots Meningitis Without Spinal Tap
Doctors have developed a quick, non-invasive test that can detect meningitis in infants with 94% accuracy – meaning far fewer babies will need painful spinal taps. (Good News Network)

Quick Lifts ❤️

Feel good stories from Happilynews.com guaranteed to put a smile on your face.

Grandpa Trains in Driveway to Walk Granddaughter Down the Aisle

After a painful fall and back injury, 84-year-old Lex James started walking laps up his driveway – determined to be strong enough to escort his granddaughter Sunni on her wedding day. His dedication paid off: he proudly walked her down the aisle cane-free, leaving everyone in tears.

👉 Read the full story

Sisters Reunite After 25 Years Thanks to TikTok

Adopted on different continents and unaware of each other’s existence, Rachel and Emelie found one another after a TikTok video popped up on Emelie’s feed. The striking resemblance led to a message, a video call, and – finally – a tearful first hug at the airport after 25 years apart.

👉 Read the full story

Dad’s Emotional Chess-Inspired Send-Off to College Son

Before his son left for his first day of college, Amenemhet handed him a king chess piece with advice he’ll carry forever: “Think like a king… you always have a move.” The raw, tearful moment – captured by Mom – has gone viral for all the right reasons.

👉 Read the full story

Snapshots 📸 

A unique, sometimes quirky, but always eye-catching photo feature each week.

The Cliffside Library That Looks Too Magical To Be Real

Imagine climbing up a mountain trail, turning a corner, and suddenly spotting… a library clinging to the side of a cliff. That’s the jaw-dropping reality of the Mianhua Library in Guanxi Province, China.

Since opening in May, this one-of-a-kind library has gone viral on Chinese social media — and for good reason. From the outside, it looks like something straight out of a fantasy movie: wooden balconies and walkways hanging dramatically over a rock face, lush greenery framing the entrance, and an aura that feels more dream than reality.

Step inside, though, and things only get better. The entire library is carved into a giant grotto, with thousands of books tucked along its uneven stone walls. Light filters in softly, bouncing off wood and rock, making every corner feel like a secret reading nook designed by nature itself.

While the library does serve the local community, it’s become just as much a tourist destination — attracting bookworms, hikers, and curious travelers eager to say they’ve read a chapter or two in the world’s most inaccessible library.

And honestly, can you imagine a better place to get lost in a novel than halfway up a cliff with nothing but mountain air and the sound of birds for company?

For the record, this isn’t the only library that looks too magical to be real — China is also home to the surreal Dujiangyan Zhongshuge, a bookshop that feels like a hall of mirrors, and Austria boasts Admont Abbey, the world’s largest monastic library that could rival any palace.

But Mianhua? It’s the one that seems most like a secret waiting to be discovered — a reminder that books have always been about adventure, whether you find them on a page or perched on the edge of a mountain.

Bright Bits ☀️

Sharing some inspiring musings to keep your brain smiling.

🤗 Happiness Hack

Summer may be slipping away, but it’s not gone yet. Take your morning coffee outside while you still can – even just for two minutes. Somehow it tastes richer with a side of warm air and birdsong.

❝ Some inspiring words…

💡 Fun fact

Sea otters hold hands while they sleep so they don’t drift away from each other. (Collective “aww” permitted.) 🦦💤

🧠 Brain teaser

Can you find the 10 words?
tin som mea and all ple
sca eth ile rbr man ssl
pol rec hai yes gra wat
ing ter ice eap erf ate
nwh pin obs ush row day

Hint
One of the words is waterfall (wat + erf + all)

Stay tuned for the answers in next week’s newsletter.

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Before You Go…

He dreamed for years of becoming a big brother 😭❤️

*Studies show that watching cute, heartwarming videos can boost your mood. So sit back and start your weekend positively!

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