kristalbabich:

“It’s Been An Adventure, Mr. Fredricksen.”

“Adventure Is Out There!”

Someone asked me to post these two companion pieces together so it was easier to reblog them.

luckyshirt:

thedarklawyer:

I don’t mean to dishonor the other stories here. But there is one I wanted to add.

A good portion of my pro-bono work is defending abused children. It’s a cause close to my heart.  In the course of my work I met a man who was an adult survivor. You wouldn’t have known it looking at him. He was this gigantic Polynesian guy. Wild curly hair. I think of him every time I see Khal Drogo on GoT. He was counseling some of the little kids, and doing a fantastic job of it.

I visited his home to get his opinion on something and I noticed a little toy on his desk. It was Trolley. Naturally curious, I asked him about it.

This is what he told me:

“The most dangerous time for me was in the afternoon when my mother got tired and irritable. Like clockwork. Now, she liked to beat me in discreet places so my father wouldn’t see the bruises. That particular day she went for the legs. Not uncommon for her. I was knocked down and couldn’t get back up. Also not uncommon. She gave me one last kick, the one I had come to learn meant ‘I’m done now’. Then she left me there upstairs, face in the carpet, alone. I tried to get up, but couldn’t. So I dragged myself, arm over arm, to the television, climbed up the tv cabinet and turned on the tv. 

“And there was Mr. Rogers. It was the end of the show and he was having a quiet, calm conversation with those hundreds of kids. In that moment, he seemed to look me in the eye when he said ‘And I like you just for being you’. In that moment, it was like he was reaching across time and space to say these words to me when I needed them most.

“It was like the hand of god, if you’re into that kind of thing. It hit me in the soul. I was a miserable little kid. I was sure I was a horrible person. I was sure I deserved every last moment of abuse, every blow, every bad name. I was sure I earned it, sure I didn’t deserve better. I *knew* all of these things … until that moment. If this man, who I hadn’t even met, liked me just for being me, then I couldn’t be all bad. Then maybe someone could love me, even if it wasn’t my mom.

“It gave me hope. If that nice man liked me, then I wasn’t a monster. I was worth fighting for. From that day on, his words were like a secret fortress in my heart. No matter how broken I was, no matter how much it hurt or what was done to me, I could remember his words, get back on my feet, and go on for another day.

“That’s why I keep Trolley there. To remind me that, no matter how terrible things look, someone who had never met me liked me just for being me, and that makes even the worst day worth it to me. I know how stupid it sounds, but Mr. Rogers saved my life.”

The next time I saw him, he was talking to one of my little clients. When they were done with their session, he helped her out of her chair, took both of her hands, looked her in the eyes and said: “And remember, I like you just for being you.” 

That, to me, is Mr. Rogers’ most powerful legacy. All of the little lives he changed and made better with simple and sincere words of love and kindness.

Like I said.

sararye:

live-a-life-of-liberty:

buttsexalecki:

I noticed that weight was a big issue on my dash today, so I decided to be a supporter of all my beautiful friends and followers, and take this picture.

I’m not a conventional beauty but I love every part of myself, and I hope my friends can learn to love themselves, too!  It makes me sad when people look at skinnier women than me and say, “Oh, she’s not a real woman.”  We all have breasts and hips and thighs and asses and we all love pie and we are all real women.  Whether you’re a size 2 or a size 22, like myself, we’re all real.  We’re all sentient and we all have feelings and we are all beautiful.

My name is Kassie.  I’m a gemini, I’m 5’1, 250lbs and my bra and underwear NEVER match and I don’t know why they do today.  My favorite food is chipotle and I fucking love donuts.  My mom makes the best broccoli you’ll ever have in your whole life.  

I love myself, and I love you guys, too!

IT’S OKAY TO BE BEAUTIFUL

This deserves a re-blog. What a beautiful woman.

I freaking love you oh my gosh this made me so happy

suitep:

Ricky Watson of Littleton, Colorado wipes tears from his eyes after he thanked President Barack Obama for repealing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” at a campaign rally in Golden, Colorado, September 13. Watson was kicked out of the Air Force 25 years ago for being gay.

mfkevin:

“oh, there are pictures.. I keep them where I need the most cheering up.”

reblogging this again… For those who don’t know the story behind this:

Before Maggie was born, Homer Simpson worked at the Nuclear Plant because he needed the money to pay for all the debt. Once Homer Simpson finally payed the debt, he quit his job to work at his dream job at the bowling alley. When Homer Simpson found out that Marge was pregnant with Maggie, he became depressed that he had to quit his job at the bowling alley because the salary couldn’t support them. When Homer Simpson begged Mr. Burns for his old life back, he put a plaque that reads “Don’t Forget: You’re Here Forever.” When Maggie was born, Homer instantly fell in love with her. When Lisa asked Homer where did all Maggie’s baby pictures went, Homer explains that he keeps it where he needs it the most…

sea-hag:

“My relationship with my mom is really the single most profound relationship that I’ve ever had in my life,” she tells me. “By the way, it seems like I’m … I’m just blowing my nose. It’s not because I’m sad.” She has allergies and a cold, she promises. But her voice breaks when she starts talking about how she sat down with a pen and paper and asked her mother to give her all the advice she could possibly give her before she died, and Kaling realized she’d never be able to ask her mother for advice again. “I said to her, ‘Mom, I’m going to be so lonely without you.’” She’s crying now but keeps going. “And she just said, ‘You have to be your own best friend. If you always remember that, you will always have someone there with you.’”

The New New Girl: Mindy Kaling Promotes Herself Out of The Office and Into The Mindy Project

rhamphotheca:

wickedfuzz:  Good Bye Old Friend

Elephants are legendary for their memory and intelligence including attributes associated with grief, making music, altruism and compassion. We came across this elephant whose corpse was overcome by vultures and jackals. From a distance we heard and then saw another elephant approaching at a fast pace. She was successful at chasing away the predators and then very slowly and with much empathy wrapped her trunk around the deceased elephants tusk. She stayed in this position for several hours guarding her friend.

(© John Chaney/National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest)

kaileywashere:

sushiandpie:

booasaur:

A gay soldier calls his father shortly after DADT is repealed.

(Father’s dialogue in smaller, italic font above.)

I watched this video about a hundred times, and it still makes me smile, and tear up a little, to see this. This is beautiful, and I salute you good solider.

camiyak:

starkinisms:

downeying:

May 23, 2012. Two years without Lost.

Favorite Bruce Banner/Hulk: Eric Bana, Edward Norton, or Mark Ruffalo.
Asked by kocherga