Welcome back to Faith & Joy, a weekly newsletter that makes you smile no matter how hard you try not to!

Hey everyone,

Thanks for joining us for another uplifting start to your Tuesday! Did you know paying attention to adorable animals is a surefire way of boosting your mood? According to the American Psychiatric Association, animals have an overwhelmingly positive impact on the mental health of their owners.

With that in mind, we thought we’d sniff out the most-followed animal on social media for you to adore. His name is Jiff Pom and with over 9.5 million followers on Instagram, he’s the cutest little ball of fluff on the internet. You can find him here but before you do, check out some more of the great news making its way around the internet below.

Enjoy! ❤️

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Today's Enjoyment:

• Quote: Learning where happiness lies…

• Video Reel: Babies are stronger than we think.

• Trending Loveable Stories:

  • New "Bridge" Helps Paralysed Man Walk

  • Kindness Passes as Currency in New Store

Quote of the Day 💭

Reel of the Day 📽️

Trending Stories 📰

WOW

New "Bridge" Helps Paralysed Man Walk

A paralyzed man is walking again thanks to a wireless "digital bridge".

The bridge essentially re-established communication between his brain and spinal cord via a brain-computer interface. This consists of two electronic implants, one in the brain and one in the spinal cord.

Together, the implants "transform thought into action," bridging the gap between the brain and the spinal cord's movement-controlling region. The first patient, 40-year-old Dutch engineer Gert-Jan Oskam, experienced improvements within days.

After the implants were calibrated, he began regaining muscle control within minutes.

After "a long journey" of training, he can now walk, climb stairs, navigate ramps, and enjoy the "simple pleasure" of standing with friends at a bar. Even more astounding, the implants remained effective a year later, even when unsupervised at home.

Developed by the French Atomic Energy Commission, the implants use "adaptive artificial intelligence" to decode movement intentions from the brain in real time. Once identified, the signals are converted into electrical stimulation sequences for the spinal cord, activating leg muscles and prompting desired movement.

Remarkably, the patient's sensory perceptions and motor skills improved even when the digital bridge was off, allowing him to walk with crutches.

Professor Gregoire Courtine suggests this indicates the growth of new nerve connections.

Though in its infancy, this technology holds powerful potential. With its ability to restore arm and hand functions, they hope the near future will show it aids in paralysis recovery from other causes, such as strokes.

(Click here to watch the full story)

OPTIMISM

Kindness Passes as Currency in New Store

Imagine a gift shop where items are priced in volunteer hours instead of money.

Welcome to The Kinder Shop.

Carlisle's historic quarter hosted the unique pop-up shop to encourage kindness and understanding within the community. The response? Extraordinary.

All goods were donated by local businesses, of which there was no shortage. Imagine housewares like candles, rugs, lamps, chairs and even plants, all up for “sale”.

The one-day event elicited 1,143 hours in pledges to help local charities.

Local charities and community groups like Eden Valley Hospice, Lancaster Homeless Action Service, and the Cumbria Deaf Association are at the heart of the Kinder Shop. They depend on volunteers, and the shop has connected them with new helping hands.

It’s the start of a new trend that welcomes all. There are volunteering roles for everyone, breaking down barriers between all walks of life.

The Kinder Shop has opened up a whole new world of opportunities for participants and pledges. Many volunteers have continued donating their time even after fulfilling their pledges.

The success of the Kinder Shop has inspired others, such as Bramble House Hair Salon, which hosted a pay-with-kindness day where litter-picking earned customers a free haircut.

Hopefully, this generous “pay it forward” take on commercialism will reach across the globe and inspire all of us to be just a little bit kinder.

(Click here to read more about this story)

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