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Welcome to today's edition of The Good – a gentle pause in your day, filled with beauty, kindness, and inspiration.

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A STRANGER BECAME A LIFELINE FOR TWO

When Shedly Apollon's car went into a pond off I-95 in Martin County, Florida, she was 34 weeks pregnant and needed help quickly. Logan Hayes, who was running errands nearby, didn't hesitate. He went into the water, opened her door, and helped her to safety, learning only then that she was pregnant, reports WPTV.

Hours later, doctors performed an emergency C-section, and Apollon’s daughter Ivory was born weighing 3 pounds and 14 ounces. The series of events all coincidentally happened on Apollon's birthday. Now recovering with her daughter in the NICU thanks to Hayes’ act of heroism, Apollon says the bond she shares with her baby feels even stronger.

A THOUGHTFUL GIFT THAT KEEPS GIVING

This Valentine’s Day, choose a gift rooted in something simple and good. Rosetta Stone’s Lifetime Unlimited plan offers access to 25 languages forever—one payment, no subscriptions, no expiration dates. With short, approachable lessons and built-in pronunciation support, it’s easy to make learning part of a daily routine. Whether it’s picking up a few words at a time or slowly building confidence over months and years, this is a gift designed to bring steady progress and quiet joy. Normally $399, now available for just $149.

GIVE THE GIFT OF LIFETIME LEARNING

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A DREAM WITHIN REACH

Salisia Pascoe, a single mother and truck driver, thought home ownership was out of reach until Flint River Habitat for Humanity and Phoebe Medical Center partnered to build her family a $200,000 home in Albany, Georgia. After completing 300 volunteer hours and paying closing costs, Pascoe and her two teenage children moved into the newly constructed house with a 0% interest mortgage, reports WALB.

The home dedication was filled with family and friends celebrating, including her longtime friend and pastor Ken Bevel, who called it "a capstone for what the Lord's been doing in her life." For Pascoe, who spent countless hours on the road providing for her kids, the moment represents a stable home, a future they fought for, and a dream becoming reality.

A NEW WINDOW INTO CONSCIOUSNESS

MIT researchers are exploring how a noninvasive brain imaging tool could help unlock one of science's biggest mysteries: how thoughts, sensations, and feelings form in the brain. The technology can safely stimulate specific deep brain structures with precision, allowing scientists to test cause-and-effect relationships and better understand which brain activity generates consciousness.

The researchers have published a roadmap for using the tool to explore questions like where pain is generated in the brain, how visual perception works, and whether consciousness arises from localized areas or brain-wide networks. It's early research, but it’s a promising chance at understanding the nature of human experience itself.

FASHION AS A FORM OF JOY

An emerging trend of “dopamine dressing,” is the practice of wearing clothes that genuinely make you happy. Whether that means mixing unexpected patterns, playing with bold color combinations, or finally wearing that statement piece you've been saving for a special occasion. The Everygirl’s fashion editor explains that it's not about overhauling your wardrobe, but about collecting meaningful statement pieces over time that reflect your personality and bring you joy when you put them on.

The approach offers both a creative outlet and an uplifting mood-boost, proof that something as simple as choosing what to wear can shift how you move through the world. From leopard-print coats to polka-dot flats to thrifted treasures with stories attached, dopamine dressing is about letting your clothes be an extension of who you are.

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FASHION WEEK FOR EVERYONE

New York Fashion Week isn't just for the runway-invited, it's a cultural moment anyone can experience by knowing where the fashion crowd gathers to eat, recharge, and celebrate. Condé Nast Traveler shares a curated list of insider spots, from Sant Ambroeus in Soho (a favorite of Kendall Jenner and Vera Wang) to The Plaza's lobby bar and The Met's Costume Institute exhibit "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style.”

Beyond the glamour, Fashion Week is also opening its doors wider this season with public events like runway watch parties, pop-ups, and exhibits exploring the intersection of fashion and identity. It's a reminder that style is something to participate in, savor, and celebrate as part of the creative energy that makes a city come alive.

DORAI HOME

Quick-dry diatomite stone drying mat for kitchen counter*

BETSEY JOHNSON

Ainsleyy floral heel*

SUPERFINE BY MONICA L. MILLER

Tailoring Black Style*

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