Nowadays, it is quite common to see depressing news everywhere. Amidst the chaos of corruption, abuse, bombings, and mass shootings, it is not surprising to see people lose their faith in humanity. However, it is essential to be reminded that throughout history, there have been many examples of inspirational stories where people, personally and collectively, have displayed exemplary kindness, spirit, and goodwill.
So, we have collected five such inspirational stories here that will serve to restore your faith in humanity. Read on:
1. When Jiquitaia the jaguar was rescued
While on an expedition to the Amazon jungle, some soldiers of the Brazilian army found a baby jaguar. It was struggling to remain alive. The soldiers realized that they could not leave the jaguar in the open as it could get killed by hunters. Moreover, they decided to take it back with them.
But even after some time of care, the Jaguar was still too weak and fragile to be returned to the jungle. It was then that the local authorities decided that the animal would remain under the care of the Brazilian army. The jaguar was named Jiquitaia. Today, Jiquitaia is a healthy cat and is surrounded by caring people.
While many people on this planet do not care about the sufferings of fellow humans, it is inspiring to know that there exist some who even care about animals. Hopefully, this inspirational story will restore your faith in humanity.
2. Wildfire in Fort McMurray
This inspirational stories will surely restore many of us faith in humanity. On May 1st, 2016, a catastrophic wildfire began in Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada. Mass evacuations had to be carried out to ensure the safety of the civilians. Tens of thousands of people rushed to the airports to fly to safety. Many also brought along their beloved pets, but the rules of traveling with pets are quite strict. It wasn’t possible to fill the required paperwork in time for the flights.
This was when the airline management decided to allow passengers to take their pets along with them into the plane. Kieth Mann, manager of flight operations, told HuffPost in an interview, “I didn’t want our personnel to be faced with the decision of whether to separate these people from their pets, so I made the executive decision.” Over 50 hours, the pilots transported around 10,000 people and 100 animals. There were cats, rabbits, frogs, hedgehogs, dogs, and even a Great Dane on the plane!
This instance showed an exemplary behavior of kindness. All the victims, people, and animals were evacuated and saved.
3. Rescue of orphans in Nazi-occupied Prague
Still did not able to restore your faith in humanity? Well, Sir Nicholas Winton inspirational story will definitely restore your faith in humanity.
Nicholas Winton was an English stockbroker. In 1938, he was on a trip to Prague, which was occupied by the Nazis at that time. There, he noticed that there were many Jewish orphans, whose parents had been killed. Seeing this, Nicholas made it his mission to find families who were willing to adopt these orphans. Additionally, he even paid for the trains to transport these children from Prague to London. He was successful in finding homes for 669 children.
In 1988, Nicholas Winton was interviewed by BBC on the show ‘That’s Life!’ The channel gave him a surprise by asking “Is there anyone in our audience tonight who owes their life to Nicholas Winton? If so, could you stand up, please?” Many rows of people stood up. It turns out, BBC had invited people who were saved by Nicholas Winton and their families.
In 2003, he was knighted by the Queen of England, earning him the title of Sir Nicholas Winton.
4. Gaining access to basic facilities in an Indian village
In rural areas, receiving education is not the only issue. Getting to schools and colleges is also a challenge. This was the case in a faraway village in Orissa, India. Children had to walk ten kilometers through dense brush and climb hills and boulders to reach school. It took them three long hours to commute. Due to this, many children stopped receiving an education.
In this village, lives a man named Jalander Nayak. He was steadfast that his sons and all the children of the village attend school and receive the education. So, in 2016, he began clearing a road leading to the village. Equipped with only a pickaxe and a crowbar, he dug and removed boulders to ensure a flat surface. He worked for eight hours straight for two years.
It was then that a local news channel heard about Jalander’s struggles. The government too was informed about it and took over the construction from Jalander. With the media’s attention, he now also requested access to water and electricity. This is an impeccable example of how the efforts of one man changed the circumstances of an entire community. This is truly an inspirational story to tell others, Mr.Jalander Nayak is one of our real life heroes. Respect!
5. The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey
In the wake of a natural disaster, even strangers can become saviors. This is exactly what happened in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey in Houston in 2017. People could be seen forming human chains to save others from the rising floodwater. Also, many stores and outlets opened their doors to the public and served as evacuations centers. They served as the shelter to many civilians who had lost their homes in the floods.
This also shows the power of unity. If everyone functions as a single entity for a shared purpose, everything is possible. The level of resilience shown is also commendable. This true inspirational stories we will remember for many years.
During the floods, there was a risk of people losing access to drinking water. The Anheuser-Busch company, which typically produces wine, stood up and stopped doing so. Instead, it directed its factories to refine water and send to the victims of the flood.
Hopefully, those inspirational stories will serve as a reminder to not only keep believing in humanity, but also be generous to other people whenever we get the chance. If we contemplate our surroundings, a lot of good is left which is why there is hope in each one of us. “No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted” – Aesop
