FeelGoodThoughts

In 1975, Los Angeles, Danny DeVito walked into a casting room full of six-foot actors and asked, “So… which one of you is playing the tall guy?” They laughed — until he walked out with the role they all wanted. The producers of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest had nearly cast every patient in the ward, except one: the unpredictable, sharp-witted Martini. DeVito entered the room with a New Jersey accent, a worn jacket, and a confidence that made the character feel alive before he’d even read a line. When director Milos Forman asked him why he wanted the part, DeVito tapped the script and said, “Because he thinks faster than the room. People just miss it.” He booked the role for $350 a week, surrounded by taller, more classically trained actors — yet the camera kept drifting toward him. Forman let him improvise freely. In one take, DeVito silently slid his chair closer to Jack Nicholson, inch by inch. Nicholson broke character laughing. Forman kept it in the film. Then came Taxi. Network executives doubted viewers would accept a five-foot actor as a major presence in a primetime comedy. DeVito walked into the table read, slammed the script shut, and growled, “Who wrote this dispatcher? I love him.” The room exploded with laughter. He walked out with a deal for $15,000 an episode. By season two, he had a Golden Globe, winning audiences with scenes that weren’t even written for him. His defining moment arrived in 1989 with Batman Returns. Warner Bros wanted a traditional villain. Tim Burton wanted DeVito. When they met, Burton placed a sketch of the Penguin on the table. DeVito traced the long pointed nose with his finger and said: “He’s angry because the world never gave him a chance to be ordinary.” Burton nodded. “Then you are him.” DeVito endured three hours of makeup every day and insisted on performing the sewer scenes himself. The film earned over $260 million in the U.S. alone. Danny DeVito became living proof that: • Presence matters more than height. • Skill matters more than type. • And the industry’s rules don’t survive someone determined enough to break them He once said, “If they shut a door, I climb through the window.” That’s the story of his career a man who never fit the mold,so he changed the shape of the mold instead.

An elderly Florida lady did her shopping and upon returning to her car, found four males in the act of leaving with her vehicle. She dropped her shopping bags and drew her handgun, proceeding to scream at the top of her lungs, "I have a gun, and I know how to use it! Get out of the car - NOW!" The four men didn't wait for a second threat. They got out and ran like mad. The lady, somewhat shaken, then proceeded to load her shopping bags into the back of the car and got into the driver's seat. She was so shaken that she could not get her key into the ignition. She tried and tried, and then she realized why. It was for the same reason she had wondered why there was a football, a Frisbee, and two 12-packs of beer in the front seat. A few minutes later, she found her own car parked four or five spaces farther down. She loaded her bags into her own car and drove to the police station to report her mistake. The Sergeant to whom she told the story couldn't stop laughing! He pointed to the other end of the counter, where four pale men were reporting a carjacking by a mad, elderly woman described as white, less than five feet tall, glasses, curly white hair, and carrying a large handgun. No charges were filed. Moral of the story? If you're having a senior moment...make it memorable

From Shenellica Bettencourt on FB. I hope her story inspires you, it is beautiful ❤️ 20 years ago, my mother tried to force me into getting an abortion at 6 months pregnant. She didn’t stop there, she nagged me until my son was 6 years old to give him up for adoption. Told me over and over again how I ruined my life. I was a senior in high school. His father was incarcerated most of his life. I had no real support system. And instead of being lifted up, people like my own mother made the struggle even heavier. But let me tell you something… I THANK GOD I didn’t give in. 🙌🏽 Every tear, every sleepless night, every lonely moment, it all molded us. It built us. Against all odds… I raised a U.S. Marine. 🇺🇸 We don’t do weak. 💯

A son took his father to a restaurant to enjoy a delicious dinner. His father was quite old and therefore a little weak too. While eating, food occasionally fell on his shirt and pants. The other guests watched the old man with their faces contorted in disgust, but his son remained calm. After they both finished eating, the son, quietly helped his father and took him to the toilet. Cleaned food scraps from his crumpled face, and attempted to wash food stains from his clothes; graciously combed his gray hair and finally put on his glasses. As he left the bathroom, a deep silence reigned in the restaurant. The son was ready to foot the bill, but before leaving, a man, also old, got up and asked the old man's son: 'Don't you think you left something here ? ' The young man replied: 'No, I did not leave anything.' Then the stranger said to him: 'You left a lesson here for every son, and a hope for every father! ”The whole restaurant was so quiet, you could hear a pin drop. One of the greatest honors that exists, is being able to take care of those who have taken care of us too. Our parents and all those elders who sacrificed their lives, with all their time, money and effort for us, deserve our utmost respect.

My parents arrived at my college looking homeless and carrying my things in old bags. I was so embarrassed that I wished my friends would not see them.👇 It was my first move in day at a college in Ohio. My name is Ryan n my parents are David and Linda. Their clothes were dirty n Dads old truck was packed with my boxes. I asked Dad why they came looking like this. He stayed n helped carry everything into my room Later I saw some students laughing at them. I became angry n asked Dad what was really happening. He looked at me n said we planned this Ryan. We wanted to see if college would make you ashamed of where you came from then Mom told me they had spent years saving money so I could be there without debt. I looked at their tired faces and felt ashamed of myself. I hugged them both before they left. Never be ashamed of the people who sacrificed their comfort for your future. Sometimes the poorest looking hands have given you the richest life.

What does it take to hear from all of Hollywood at age 25 that you're a washed-up, worthless actress who "can't even speak properly"? This photo was taken in 1975 on the streets of New York. The man holding the umbrella is Martin Scorsese. She's Cybill Shepherd. They're just shooting Taxi Driver a film that in a few years will be hailed as one of the greatest masterpieces of American cinema. In this photo, she looks calm, even cheerful. She's holding a chocolate ice cream cone in her hand. She doesn't yet know that this role will be her last chance in Hollywood. Before that happened, Cybill was one of the most recognizable faces in America. A model from Memphis. Eight times on the cover of *Glamour* in a single year. The face of L'Oréal. And at age 20 discovered by director Peter Bogdanovich in a grocery store. He saw her photo on a magazine cover, held it up, and said, "That's Jacy." He meant the character in his new film *The Last Picture Show*. Cybill had never acted before. She got the role. The film became a masterpiece. Eight Oscar nominations. She a nomination as a debutante. At 21, she became the critical discovery of the year. Then she got involved with Bogdanovich. He divorced for her. And she starred in two more of his films. Both were flops. Critics who had praised her just yesterday suddenly wrote: "Cybill can't just not act or sing she can't even speak." The press called her "Bogdanovich's limited girl." Hollywood decided her film career was over. She was 25. And then Scorsese called. He was looking for someone to play Betsy in *Taxi Driver*. He needed a "Cybill Shepherd type." And then he thought: Why not take her herself? She arrived on set in the summer of 1975 as an actress the world had already written off. And she performed so well that no one could deny her recognition. The film won the Palme d'Or, four Oscar nominations, and went down in history. And Cybill's reviews were good again. Quiet, but good. But that wasn't enough. Hollywood had already made its decision. De Niro became a legend. Scorsese an icon. Jodie Foster a 13-year-old Oscar nominee. And Cybill went back to Memphis. How is it possible that the same woman a critic once dismissed as someone who "can't even speak" went on, a dozen years later, to earn seven Golden Globe nominations, write a bestselling autobiography, and receive a plaque from the Civil Rights Museum for "breaking the chain of oppression." She then earned seven more Golden Globe nominations, and museums awarded her an honorary plaque for triumphing over the Hollywood establishment. from Traces of the Past

In 1975, Norman Lear called Roxie Roker into his office with a warning. He was creating a new sitcom, The Jeffersons, featuring an interracial married couple—Black woman Helen Willis and white man Tom Willis—who would kiss, share a bed, and simply live as a normal married couple. Lear told Roker he understood if she felt uncomfortable. She reached into her purse and pulled out a photograph: her wedding picture, showing her beside her white Jewish husband, Sy Kravitz, whom she had married 13 years earlier, when interracial marriage was still illegal in sixteen U.S. states. “Does this answer your question?” she asked. She got the part. The show premiered on January 18, 1975, at a time when legal barriers to interracial marriage had only recently fallen and social acceptance was still far behind. Television executives were nervous about showing an interracial couple so openly. When CBS executives saw an early episode featuring Tom and Helen sharing a kiss, they reportedly wanted the scene removed, fearing backlash from affiliate stations. Producer Fred Silverman refused, and the kiss stayed. For eleven seasons and 253 episodes, Helen and Tom Willis remained married, visible, and ordinary. They argued about dinner, worried about their daughter, teased their neighbors, and lived their lives without their marriage constantly being treated as a lesson. That normalcy was the point. While The Jeffersons tackled racism and other difficult subjects, Roker played Helen with intelligence, wit, dignity, and restraint. She wasn’t simply representing an idea—she was playing a woman who loved her husband and expected to be treated like anyone else. Roxie Roker continued acting for decades, appearing in productions including Roots, Murder, She Wrote, and A Different World, while also advocating for children in Los Angeles. She died of breast cancer on December 2, 1995, at 66. Her son, musician Lenny Kravitz, and granddaughter, actress Zoë Kravitz, carried her legacy forward. But perhaps Roker’s most enduring contribution was quieter: she helped make an interracial marriage familiar to millions of Americans by showing it week after week—not as controversy, not as tragedy, but simply as life. Sometimes culture changes through confrontation, and sometimes it changes through presence. Roker showed up, stayed visible, and let an ordinary love story become ordinary to everyone watching.

This is a side by side of two women gracing the front covers of two well known magazines. The one on the right we all know is Martha Stewart, age 81. The one on the left is Apo Whang-Od, age 106, a tribal tattooist in a remote province in the Philippines. There seems to be an unwritten rule which equates beauty with youngness. In an interview, Martha Stewart told the reporter she credits her organic, home-grown, farm-to-table eating, yoga, and actively healthy lifestyle to her youthfulness. While that’s an admirable journey for her, let’s not forget the amount of privilege that kind of lifestyle requires. On the left is Apo Whang-Od, who is a 106-year-old tribal tattooist in the Philippines. The wisdom she carries in every forehead wrinkle and frown line is stunning. Her eyes are glass, reflecting back all that she’s witnessed over a century of lived experiences. Her tattoos a reminder of the ancestors she seeks to honor. Both women are beautiful in their own right. But I wish we as women didn’t play into this idea that we have to look younger—and thinner—in order to fit some unrealistic beauty standard which will grant us acceptance and relevance in the world around us. I’m writing this for any woman who, like me, may have had a punched-gut reaction to seeing an octogenarian in a swimsuit on the cover of a magazine looking more like a woman in her forties or fifties: Anti-aging is not a beauty standard. There IS beauty in wrinkles, and saggy skin, and drooping breasts. These are markers of a life hard fought for and well lived. It seems odd to try and erase these battle scars. So while I applaud Martha for her fortunate body, carefully curated procedures, and pristinely styled makeup, I also applaud Whang-Od for what others may perceive as imperfections. Anti-aging is not a beauty standard. Authenticity is.

This will be one of the best stories you’ll read today. This is Jake Pratt. Jake got a job with UPS. So I guess that makes him “Jake from UPS.” His sister Amy Hyde wrote about how happy she is that UPS hired him. “Thank you @UPS for giving my brother a chance & promoting inclusion in the workforce. Jake has Down Syndrome but that doesn’t stop him! He loves his new job running packages up to 8 hours per day. That’s after working 6-10 am every morning at the golf course. I’m so proud of him. He (also) asked me to recognize his driver & mentor, Richard. Richard has taught him so much & has been incredible with Jake. Thank you UPS.” His sister also told People magazine: “This opportunity to work for UPS means everything to Jake because it is his dream to be able to live independently. He has achieved so much, but none of it would be possible without people embracing him and giving him a chance. Jake is so worthy and capable, so it’s just awesome for others to be able to see that. He has done a lot to break barriers and raise awareness that people with Down syndrome can accomplish anything they set their mind to." Jake also tweeted this picture of him and Richard and said simply: ”My man.” And UPS tweeted out: “Great to have Jake on our team. Thanks, Jake, for helping us deliver!” It makes me so happy to see that UPS hired him. It says a lot about the company. Go get ‘em “Jake from UPS.”

It's been 5+ years on X But, Today only I got to know that you can take a clean screenshot of any tweet with X badge directly from the share option. 😅🫨🤯

Hi! My name is Harriett. I’ve come a long way. I’m 2.5 years sober. Before sobriety, alcohol owned me. I could not imagine going one day without it. Now, I’m thriving and living the best sober life - for life! People often cannot fathom how much I drank in a day. Frankly, I cannot fathom it. My life revolved around alcohol. Then one day, I started having seizures from alcohol withdrawal. That’s where this bruised pic comes in. What should have just been a bump on my forehead from the fall was unbelievable bruising because my body was not properly functioning. I turned it all around post-seizure. I went to a treatment facility and made an effort to attend AA. AA saved my life. Today I am flourishing and am so grateful for my acceptance that I am an alcoholic. I am also grateful for my willingness to turn it over to my Higher Power.

Stay True: Crystal Gayle’s Long Hair, A Legacy of Authenticity Crystal Gayle’s hair reached the floor by the time she was performing sold-out shows across America in the late 1970s, but the decision to let it grow began quietly years earlier, long before she became a country-pop crossover icon. As a teenager, influenced by her mother’s encouragement to embrace individuality and femininity, Gayle chose not to cut her hair again. That decision soon became more than appearance, it was an act of self-definition. By the time her chart-topping hit "Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue" took over radios in 1977, audiences were as captivated by her long, straight, dark brown hair as they were by her velvet-smooth vocals. Backstage and during interviews, people constantly asked her the same question: how do you manage such length? She’d often smile and reply, “It’s who I am.” There was no strategy, no gimmick. For her, long hair reflected her sense of calm, her personality, and her connection to authenticity. As trends shifted in the industry, Crystal stood firm. Hairdressers frequently offered to trim or style it. Photographers suggested changing the look for album covers like "We Must Believe in Magic" and "When I Dream," but Gayle gently refused. Even during the pressure of high-definition television appearances on shows like "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson," where lighting and camera angles scrutinized every strand, she kept her signature look untouched. For her, the hair was not fashion, it was faithfulness to the image she had shaped for herself from day one. When touring, Crystal’s floor-length hair required a unique kind of discipline. She brushed it daily in sections, used minimal heat styling, and slept with it gently wrapped to prevent tangles. Her hairstyling routine was often as discussed as her performances. At concerts, audience members seated near the stage whispered about whether the hair was real. Gayle responded to the curiosity with humor and grace, once saying in an interview, “It’s all mine, and it grows a little every day.” In the visual medium of country music television, her look helped her stand out. In a genre where many female artists leaned on rhinestones and big curls, Gayle arrived on stage in elegant gowns with her straight hair flowing down like a curtain of silk. It became part of the mystique, soft-spoken, poised, and quietly bold. She didn’t speak loudly about empowerment, but she embodied it with every step onto the stage. During her 1980s appearances on "Hee Haw" and in music videos for songs like "Talking in Your Sleep," her hair often moved with its own rhythm, a presence all its own. In the age before social media, fan letters poured in weekly, many asking about her hair routine. It was not unusual for her to receive shampoo samples or requests for beauty tips along with song requests. Crystal never viewed her look as a brand. She simply honored the personal promise she made to herself. Even into the 2000s, when styles and standards evolved, she maintained her signature length. For her, consistency was not resistance to change, but loyalty to identity. In a world that constantly encourages reinvention, Crystal Gayle remained unmistakably herself. The voice may have drawn the world in, but the long hair reminded everyone that staying true can sometimes be the most radical thing of all. 

For the past 6 years, a dog named Capitan has slept in the grave of his owner every night. His owner, Miguel Guzman died in 2006 and Capitan dissapeared shortly after the family attended the funeral services. They searched everywhere and put out flyers to try and find him. But no one had seen him. A week later, some people who were at the cemetery late one evening spotted Capitan laying on the grave and they contacted the grounds keeper at the cemetery. The cemetery notified the family who promptly came to pick him up and take him home. But each night he would cry and scratch frantically at the door to go out and he wouldn't return home until morning. It was later discovered that Capitan would walk the 3 miles back to the cemetery each night to guard his master's grave. It has been 7 years now. The cemetery does not close the gates until he arrrives each night promptly at 6 pm. He sleeps there all night guarding the grave until the ground keeper opens the gate in the morning. This is a true picture of Capitan here. Credit: Anomalous Club

At 40, Franz Kafka (1883-1924), who never married and had no children, was walking through a park one day in Berlin when he met a girl who was crying because she had lost her favourite doll. She and Kafka searched for the doll unsuccessfully. Kafka told her to meet him there the next day and they would come back to look for her. The next day, when they had not yet found the doll, Kafka gave the girl a letter "written" by the doll saying "please don't cry. I took a trip to see the world. I will write to you about my adventures." Thus began a story which continued until the end of Kafka's life. During their meetings, Kafka read the letters of the doll carefully written with adventures and conversations that the girl found adorable. Finally, Kafka brought back the doll (he bought one) that had returned to Berlin. "It doesn't look like my doll at all," said the girl. Kafka handed her another letter in which the doll wrote: "my travels have changed me." The little girl hugged the new doll and brought the doll with her to her happy home. A year later Kafka died. Many years later, the now-adult girl found a letter inside the doll. In the tiny letter signed by Kafka it was written: "Everything you love will probably be lost, but in the end, love will return in another way." Embrace change. It's inevitable for growth. Together we can shift pain into wonder and love, but it is up to us to consciously and intentionally create that connection.

While filming Maverick in 1993, Jodie Foster and Mel Gibson had a heated off-camera argument about politics. The two had worked together before and usually got along well, but that day, their strong opinions led to a tense clash. Gibson, known for his fiery temper, walked off the set after the disagreement, leaving the crew in an awkward silence. Foster, calm and composed, didn’t shout back but clearly felt disappointed. Later, a crew member shared that Gibson wasn’t really angry at her—he was frustrated with himself. About an hour later, Gibson returned with flowers and a handwritten note. He apologized sincerely, and Foster later revealed the note said: “I was raised by a man who shouted first and thought later. I’m trying not to be that man anymore.” She appreciated his honesty, saying, “That’s why I love him—he owns his flaws.” This moment became one of Foster’s strongest memories from the film. She valued Gibson’s willingness to reflect and make amends, which she found more meaningful than any political debate. Gibson’s temper was partly shaped by his strict upbringing. His father, Hutton Gibson, had strong, often aggressive opinions, which influenced Mel’s own struggles with anger. Foster understood this, saying, “I’ve known Mel a long time… he thinks deeply about his actions afterward.” The argument didn’t hurt their working relationship—in fact, the set became more relaxed afterward. Co-star James Garner even joked that the two balanced each other perfectly, both on and off camera. Years later, when Gibson faced public criticism, Foster stood by him. While promoting The Beaver* (2011), a film she directed starring Gibson, she said, “He’s been a friend for 20 years. You can’t judge someone’s whole life by their worst moment.” This private apology showed how owning up to mistakes can strengthen a friendship far more than public words ever could. Sometimes, the most difficult moments lead to real growth

She Carried Her Baby for 37 Weeks, Knowing She Might Never Bring Her Home. But She Hoped Her Daughter Could Save Other Children. In 2017, an Oklahoma couple received news that no expectant parent should ever have to hear. Their unborn daughter had a rare condition, and doctors warned them that she was unlikely to survive after birth. But in the middle of unimaginable heartbreak, Keri Young made a decision that would touch countless lives. Keri and her husband, Royce Young, were expecting their second child when a routine ultrasound at 19 weeks changed everything. Doctors discovered that their daughter had anencephaly, a rare birth defect in which major parts of the brain and skull fail to develop. The prognosis was devastating. Their little girl was not expected to survive. Yet, through their grief, Keri asked the doctors a question: Could their daughter donate her organs and give another child a chance at life? After speaking with medical specialists, Keri and Royce decided to continue the pregnancy. They named their daughter Eva Grace. For the next several months, Keri carried Eva knowing that she might never get to watch her take her first steps, hear her laugh, or celebrate her birthdays. She knew that the time they would have together could be painfully short. Still, she wanted to give Eva every opportunity to make a difference in the world. Then, on April 16, 2017, at 37 weeks of pregnancy, Keri noticed that Eva had stopped moving. She rushed to the hospital, where doctors delivered the heartbreaking confirmation: Eva’s heart had stopped beating. On April 17, 2017, Eva Grace was delivered stillborn. The family had hoped to hold their daughter alive, even if only for a few precious moments. They were devastated. And the possibility of donating her major organs was no longer available. But Eva’s story did not end there. Doctors received unexpected news from LifeShare of Oklahoma. Although her major organs could not be donated, Eva could still donate her eyes. Her corneas could potentially help restore sight to someone else. Keri and Royce held their daughter, took photographs, and spent precious time with her. Their young son, Harrison, also had the opportunity to meet his little sister. Later, the couple shared Eva’s story publicly. Their experience reached thousands of people and brought attention to the possibilities of infant tissue and organ donation. For Keri and Royce, Eva was never defined by her diagnosis or by how long she lived. She was their daughter. She was wanted, cherished, and loved long before she entered the world. Eva never got the chance to grow up, but even in her brief life, she left behind a legacy of compassion. Sometimes, a life is not measured by how many years someone gets to live, but by the love they leave behind and the difference they make in the lives of others.

We met on a blind date in 1968 and got married in June 1970. I was 19 and she was 17. We are still married. We have two sons. We wanted more children, but after our second son was born, my wife couldn’t carry another pregnancy. We tried several times, but she kept losing the babies after a few months. The doctor said no more. Now we have two sons, three grandsons, and two great-grandchildren. People said our marriage wouldn’t last because we were so young when we got married. Well, here we are 55 years later. We grew up together and stayed together all this time.

I spent an hour in the bank with my dad,as he had to transfer some money. I couldn't resist myself and asked... ''Dad, why don't we activate your internet banking?'' ''Why would I do that?'' He asked... ''Well, then you wont have to spend an hour here for things like making a transfer. You can even do your shopping online. Everything will be so easy!'' I was so excited about initiating him into the world of Net banking. He asked ''If I do that, I wont have to step out of the house?” ''Yes, yes''! I said. I told him how even groceries can be delivered at your door now and how amazon delivers everything! His answer left me tongue-tied. He said ''Since I entered this bank today, I have met four of my friends, I have chatted awhile with the staff who know me very well by now. You know, I am alone...this is the company that I need. I like to get ready and come to the bank. I have enough time, it is the physical touch that I crave. Two years back, I got sick. The store owner from whom I buy fruits, came to see me and sat by my bedside and cried. When your Mom fell down a few days back while on her morning walk, our local grocer saw her and immediately got his car to rush her home as he knows where I live. Would I have that 'human' touch if everything became online? Why would I want everything delivered to me and force me to interact with just my computer? I like to know the person that I'm dealing with and not just the 'seller'. It creates bonds of Relationships. Does Amazon deliver all this as well?''' Technology isn't life.. Spend time with people .. Not with devices

A 26-year-old student sends a message to his teacher to explain that he will be absent from the course because he has not found anyone to keep his five-month-old daughter. Nathan Alexander, 34, a math professor at Morehouse College (Atlanta) responds to his student by saying: "If that's the problem, bring her to class." Upon arriving in the classroom, the teacher offered to take the child so that his student could devote himself entirely to the course. The teacher held the child throughout the lesson and even after, when he answered the students questions.

In September of 2005, on the first day of school, Martha Cothren, a History teacher at RobinsonHigh School in Little Rock, did something not to be forgotten. On the first day of school, with the permission of the school superintendent, the principal and the building supervisor, she removed all of the desks in her classroom. When the first period kids entered the room they discovered that there were no desks. 'Ms. Cothren, where are our desks?' She replied, 'You can't have a desk until you tell me how you earn the right to sit at a desk.' They thought, 'Well, maybe it's our grades.' 'No,' she said. 'Maybe it's our behavior.' She told them, 'No, it's not even your behavior.' And so, they came and went, the first period, second period, third period. Still no desks in the classroom. Kids called their parents to tell them what was happening and by early afternoon television news crews had started gathering at the school to report about this crazy teacher who had taken all the desks out of her room. The final period of the day came and as the puzzled students found seats on the floor of the desk-less classroom. Martha Cothren said, 'Throughout the day no one has been able to tell me just what he or she has done to earn the right to sit at the desks that are ordinarily found in this classroom. Now I am going to tell you.' At this point, Martha Cothren went over to the door of her classroom and opened it. Twenty-seven (27) U.S. Veterans, all in uniform, walked into that classroom, each one carrying a school desk. The Vets began placing the school desks in rows, and then they would walk over and stand alongside the wall. By the time the last soldier had set the final desk in place those kids started to understand, perhaps for the first time in their lives, just how the right to sit at those desks had been earned. Martha said, 'You didn't earn the right to sit at these desks. These heroes did it for you. They placed the desks here for you. They went halfway around the world, giving up their education and interrupting their careers and families so you could have the freedom you have. Now, it's up to you to sit in them. It is your responsibility to learn, to be good students, to be good citizens. They paid the price so that you could have the freedom to get an education. Don't ever forget it.' By the way, this is a true story. And this teacher was awarded the Veterans of Foreign Wars Teacher of the Year for the State of Arkansas in 2006. She is the daughter of a WWII POW. Do you think this email is worth passing along so others won't forget either, that the freedoms we have in this great country were earned by our U.S. Veterans?... I did. Let us always remember the men and women of our military and the rights they have won for us.