Category: Life & Tradition

Profiles in History: Norman Rockwell: Up from the Ashes

By 1943, Norman Rockwell (Feb. 3, 1894–Nov. 8, 1978) had long been a household name. At almost 50 years old, he had become America’s illustrator, telling stories of American life through his fresh and often humorous paintings. His career officially began at 15, when he was commissioned to paint four Christmas cards. While still in…


Our English Cousin: William Shakespeare and the Shaping of America

Shakespeare. Bring up that name in conversation, and the reactions of your audience are likely to be mixed. To some of your listeners, that most famous name in all of English literature will likely arouse unpleasant memories of a dreary week or two in a high school class lost in a jumble of lords, ladies,…


This Giant Maine Coon Is So Big It’s Already the Average Height of a 9-Year-Old Kid

Finn the cat has grown so big he is now 1.3 meters (4.3 feet) long, the average height of a nine-year-old kid. And many people mistake the enormous Maine coon for a dog. Owner Natalie Bowman, 32, adopted Finn in 2017 when he was just three-and-a-half months old. The cat’s stupendous size makes him an expensive…


San Francisco High School of the Arts Wins Applause Talent Dance Competition

SAN MATEO, Calif.—For some dance studios, the held in San Mateo in February was the first time they would come out in full force since the pandemic three years ago. Held at the impressive 1,600-seat San Mateo Performing Arts Center, the event showcased some newcomers such as the San Francisco High School of the Arts…


VIDEO: Dad Hit by Drunk Driver Refuses to Let Injuries Hold Him Back From Daddy-Daughter Dance

A man paralyzed in 2006 when his car was hit head-on by a drunk driver has refused to miss a moment with his family. He has even learned daddy-daughter dances from his wheelchair to show his youngest daughter, a budding ballerina, that his love knows no limits. Rhode Islander Charles Potter, 36, lives with his fiancée,…


Woman With Dementia, 85, Forgets Herself but Not Her Beloved Husband: ‘He’s My Guy!’

An elderly New Yorker with late-stage dementia often forgets herself, but she never fails to recognize her beloved husband of 63 years and has even coined a catchphrase: “He’s my guy!” The couple has unwittingly become a viral sensation since their son began sharing sweet moments from their family home on social media. Originally from…


The World’s Loneliest Lion Rescued From Cage After 15 Years, Waits to Go Home to South Africa

Ruben the lion spent 15 years locked in a tiny cage but has finally been rescued and given his first taste of freedom. Held captive in squalid conditions in a private zoo that had closed down, the traumatized animal spent five years completely alone and in silence. Other animals were relocated, but there was no…


VIDEO: Man Captures ‘Extremely Rare’ Moment Moose Sheds Both Antlers in a Snowy Forest

A Canadian wildlife photographer shooting drone footage over a snowy forest captured the video of a lifetime when a bull moose shed not one, but both antlers right before his eyes. Derek Keith Burgoyne, 30, is a forestry operations supervisor from Plaster Rock, New Brunswick, in Canada. He was flying his drone over a maple hardwood…


Tragedy and Triumph: The Roebling Family and the Building of the Brooklyn Bridge

After many long years of planning and building, along with numerous setbacks, the Brooklyn Bridge opened to traffic on May 24, 1883. The first vehicle to cross the bridge was Emily Roebling’s horse-drawn carriage. Emily carried with her a rooster in a cage symbolic of the victory realized that day. The victory was wrought from…


After Seeing a Biology Class Film, Woman Picks Adoption Over Abortion: ‘It’s Already a Human Being’

A South Carolina woman who sought validation from men and alcohol to escape the pain of an abusive home found herself pregnant at 22. For the first time in her life, her formerly pro-choice stance was challenged. Revisiting a film from her high school biology class, she had a life-changing realization: her unborn baby was…