Photo by Jerry Zhang on Unsplash
To download these free stories, please enter the newspaper publication you represent with your email address.
We will email you when we add new stories each month. Thanks!
Note: We are committed to keeping your e-mail address confidential. We do not sell, rent, or lease our contact data or lists to third parties.
Please see our privacy policy for details.
Please enter your organization and email above before downloading these articles.
Download PDF
Word .doc
Download Photo .jpg
Every day, there are 25,000 flights in America. Accidents are so rare that flying is much safer than car travel. But that doesn’t stop many people from feeling panicked when they are moving at 500 miles per hour, 33,000 feet above the ground. Not being at the controls makes us feel a bit helpless. That’s when the negative thoughts begin to swirl, and the cycle deepens until, even in a very safe place, we suddenly feel panic.
That’s what happened recently to a woman flying on a commercial airline. Many of us can go along doing ordinary things and suddenly be overcome with fear. The physical symptoms are real, and it requires a calming force to steady our emotions. In panic mode, the senses are hypervigilant. Every sound and movement feels like a threat. The passenger responded accordingly, jumping at every sound and the slightest turbulence.
Floyd Dean-Shannon noticed the woman’s distress. As a flight attendant, he has plenty to do during a flight. But he paused and spoke reassuringly to the woman. Floyd calmly explained what the noise was and that it was normal. The landing gear, the wing flaps, all perfectly routine sounds you hear as a plane flies.
As the woman began to calm down a bit, Floyd sat down in the aisle beside her and held her hand. He told her she was safe. He made her feel safe. He sat with her through the entire flight. At one point, Floyd learned it was another passenger’s birthday, so he led the plane in a song to celebrate — another way of making the woman feel safe by distracting her from her fears. He stayed by the woman’s side until it was time to land.
We all have friends who become distressed, who over-worry, who may struggle with some internal demons that keep them from enjoying life. Like Floyd, we can be open enough to see, to be there. We don’t have to be professional counselors; we just need to be friends.
In a world that seems most focused on what’s happening on a screen, we can look up occasionally and check on those around us. According to the Mayo Clinic, having a friend reduces the risk of many significant health problems, including high blood pressure and depression. And having a friend when you most need it not only gets you through the rough patches in your life — it also gives you the confidence to be a friend to others.
Be a Friend... PassItOn.com®
Copyright ©2023 The Foundation for a Better Life. All rights reserved. Available under a Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License (international): https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License
The Foundation for a Better Life, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, gives your newspaper permission to publish these stories in print and electronic media (excluding audio and video), provided the stories are published in their entirety, without modification and including the copyright notice. For any modification, permission must first be obtained from the Foundation by emailing media-relations@passiton.com. Thank you.
Your CommentsBringing the Moon to your Living Room.
How 14-year-old Philo Farnsworth tinkered his way to the technology that broadcast the moon landing.
Cross Safely.
How one man made sure his retirement years were spent helping kids move safely through life.
Our Local Heroes in Scrubs.
How health care workers saved the day.
Beatrice Shilling
The motorcycle daredevil who became a mechanical engineer and saved the lives of countless pilots in WWll.
Taking Responsibility.
How one high school student supported her family during the pandemic.
When the World Says You Can’t, Listen to the Inner Voice that Says You Can.
The legacy of Susan La Flesche, the first Native American to earn a medical degree.
The World Awaits You.
The story of the first woman to circumnavigate the world.
The Legacy of Dorothy Vaughan.
The Hidden Figure who Helped Put a man on the Moon.
How To Be Free.
Eliza Zenger teaches dance, music and arts to adults with disabilities. Their performance is the most beautiful you will ever see.
Listening to the Music Inside.
The long journey of Maria Tallchief from the Osage Nation in Oklahoma to prima ballerina in New York City.
Taking Care of the Most Vulnerable.
Pam Tully dedicates 6 months a year to rescuing baby flying foxes alongside the volunteers who help her.
The Art of Pitching.
A little confidence at the right time goes a long way.
Road Trip Across America.
A discovery of what unites us.
Never, Ever Give Up.
The incredible story of the 12-year-old cancer patient who brings joy to half a million children fighting cancer.
Understanding Our Universe.
In a suburban neighborhood, the angst of the world still reaches a group of elementary kids. Bob stares at the stars with them and explains the universe and how there is order to everything.
Reach for the Stars…
No Matter How Long it Takes.
A Diamond in the Making.
How an everyday superhero saved the day by taking time to go through the garbage to find a stranger’s wedding ring.
The Little Things that Make the Biggest Difference.
How one man created a forest the size of Central Park by planting one tree a day.
To Stay or Run?
The courageous story of a collegiate wrestler who fought a grizzly bear to save a friend. With thanks to the Cowboy State Daily.
For the Cost of a Box of Cereal.
How just noticing makes all the difference in the world.
The Science of Happiness.
How a high school senior made sure an entire elementary school got Halloween.
Give Peace a Chance.
How a Mexican-American Marine negotiated peace speaking Japanese during WWll.
Going the Distance.
Why top collegiate and professional athlete Dillon Shije will never stop running for his people.
Something Healthy for All of Us
How 17-year-old Gloria Barron Prize Winners Annie and Shirley Zhu provide fresh food for 1,400 people a year.
The Birth of Superman.
How two awkward teenage boys dreamed up the world’s most popular superhero.
Going Deep to Deliver Kindness.
Free-dive record holder Enzo Maiorca rescues a trapped dolphin, then watches as it gives birth.
Respecting Your Customers.
As the Great Depression impoverished the country, many families stretched their budgets by making clothes out of flour and seed sacks. What companies did next may surprise you.
Taking Care.
How one woman turned a life of neglect into a lifetime of taking care of people.
Born to Make a Difference.
Kids who are changing their world.
The History of Us.
How a football coach develops young men by teaching them their own history.
Never Give Up.
Lessons learned from Preston Tucker, creator of one of the most innovative cars in American history.
No Strings Attached.
How a 7-year-old girl brings joy to neighbors with her violin.
You’re Never Too Old to Make a Difference.
British WWll veteran Captain Tom Moore raised over $45 million for charity at age 100.
Bear with Me!
The story of Wojtek the bear, who joined the Polish Army in WWll.
The Curse of Texting and Driving.
How one father turned personal tragedy into triumph for thousands of teenagers by creating the Honor Connor Scholarship Fund.
More Than Just Dancing
How inclusion helps overcome mental illness.
Everybody Gets on Base.
Measuring the victories of life, one single at a time.
Bee Productive.
17-year-old Gloria Barron Prize winner Anna Devolld is helping small things make a difference: Pollinators.
Courage in a New World.
The story of Stagecoach Mary, the first Black woman to deliver mail in the Wild West.
Bigger than Life.
How Premier League superstar Sadio Mané is changing the world beyond soccer.
Taking the Fear Out of Surgery.
How one doctor helps children face their hospital fears by dressing them up as superheroes.
To All who are Lost: You will be Found Again.
The amazing story of the missing marathon runner who turned up 54 years later.
The Calm in the Storm.
Being that one voice of encouragement in a community makes all the difference.
Everybody Can Be a Hero.
How window cleaners brightened the day at a children’s hospital.
The Last American Explorer.
Norman Vaughan trekked Antarctica with Admiral Byrd, completed the Iditarod 13 times and climbed the 10,000-foot, icy mountain named after him at age 89.
Let the Kids Give it a Try
How 17-year-old Dasia Taylor developed sutures that detect infection.
Let the Music Move You.
Bob Geldof has spent a lifetime seeking harmony in the world.
To the Coaches of Pint-sized Athletes.
All year round, you’ll find brave dads and moms standing in the rink, on the field and in the gymnasium — surrounded by eager eyes and short attention spans. Here’s to the volunteers in our communities who teach our kids life lessons and never forget the orange slices.
If You Love Dogs, You’ll Love this Story.
A German shepherd slept at his owner’s gravesite.
A Hero for Accessibility.
How an 8-year-old girl captured the attention of the nation and motivated Congress.
Dream Big.
How a young artist from a remote mountainous tribe came to illustrate one of the most popular books of our time: ‘The Archer,’ by Paulo Coelho
Overcoming Our Own Worst Mistakes.
Kaelin Clay made an unpardonable error in football. And he owned it.
How Far Would you go for a Friend?
The story of Dindim, the penguin who travels 5,000 miles every year to visit with its rescuer.
Ramping Up to Help those in Need.
How a community came together in a time of tragedy.
Rescuing a Vessel — and a Family’s Memories.
A boat at the bottom of the lake for 30 years and a renewed appreciation for life when it is restored.
It’s Not Your Lifespan, it’s Your Wingspan.
How one girl’s 16 years of life impacts thousands.
The Future Belongs to Kids.
So far, things look pretty bright.
Teamwork that Saves Lives.
How a high school baseball team lifted a car off one of their classmates pinned underneath.
A Legend On and Off the Court.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar sold his four championship rings and three MVP trophies for $2.8 million. Then he donated all of the money to support youth education programs
Using the Write Words
How an African American Woman Wrote her Way to Freedom.
Including Everybody Means Everybody.
How Inclusion Films is making movies using crew with developmental disabilities.
The Art of Doing Good.
How 18-year-old Gloria Barron Prize winner Austin Picinich is saving the salmon of Seattle by painting community murals.
How to Land an Airplane Without Landing Gear.
17-year-old Maggie Taraska landed her airplane without landing gear on her way to flying solo cross-country.
Photographs that Changed the World.
How the searing photographs of Walker Evans’ America during the Depression created a national change in attitude toward the poor.
The Last Person you Think of Should Probably be the First.
How a group of high school boys practiced the art of inclusion.
Fix it Yourself.
How one couple moved hundreds of miles from home to run a center for pregnant teenage girls.
How to Honor Your Mother.
Warrick Dunn played in the NFL for 12 seasons. His most impressive stat: He’s built 200 homes for single mothers. And he’s not done.
Matter In Motion.
How a physics professor is igniting the scientific passions of her female students.
Recognizing the Need.
How a neighbor took a disaffected young man under his wing and taught him how to be a man
Are You Smarter Than a Seventh-Grade Business Owner?
How Kidpreneur Alejandro Buxton is making money for college and helping others.
An Impossible Journey.
How John Wesley Powell navigated the Colorado River and Grand Canyon in wooden boats.
Living Alone doesn’t Mean you Have to be Lonely.
How a community in Maine supports those who want to be left alone.
The Brotherhood in Sports Goes Beyond the Field.
How a men’s rugby team supported one of their own.
A Custom of Respect.
How the Japanese soccer team brings sportsmanship to the game.
Beyond the Moon with an Eye on Mars.
The story of a young woman who dreamed of pushing the boundaries and now designs launch systems for NASA.
A Most Unlikely Friendship.
How the war in Ukraine brought two families together from opposite sides.
Billy Mills
The story behind America’s first and only 10,000-meter Olympic champion.
Being a Mother…
The roundabout journey to a dream fulfilled.
Education is for Everyone.
Reading and writing are the basics of an education. See why a 90-year-old Kenyan great-grandmother went back to primary school.
Lift Your Voice, Use Your Mind, Lift Others.
How a spark plug of a teacher ignites possibilities within her students in classroom 161.
Trusting Those Who Guide Us Through Life.
The amazing brotherhood of aviation navigators.
Running to Win isn’t Always Running to Come in First.
Jacqueline Nyetipei Kiplimo demonstrates what really matters in life and in sports.
Playtime is for Everybody.
A dad sells off his business and builds a theme park for disabled kids.
Laughter is the Best Medicine.
While filming ‘Schindler’s List,’ weekly calls from Robin Williams helped Steven Spielberg ease the weight of directing such a heavy film.
The Taming of the West Featuring Diamond Kitty.
It’s time to give cowgirls their due. Kitty Canutt was a bronc rider in the early 1900s who wore a diamond in her tooth that she occasionally removed and pawned when she needed contest entry money.
Stay Curious.
The remarkable underwater life of Jacques Cousteau.
Not Out of the Way, Along the Way.
Taking the long way to school makes for a long friendship.
Sometimes the Wrong Direction is the Right Way.
How a wrong number, a wrong text and a mix-up led to long-lasting friendships.
A Lesson We Should Never Forget.
The incredible story of American POWs smuggling rations to Russian prisoners at Stalag-B.
For Soccer Superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, Every Day is Mother’s Day.
Fortune and fame have allowed the soccer great to take care of his mother after all she has done for him.
Love Rules.
How Rick Moranis shrunk his role as an actor to be with his kids.
Don’t Let a Bad Day Trick You Into Believing You Have a Bad Life.
Allie Newman not only survived cancer but also helps hospitals better meet the needs of teenage cancer patients.
The Mistakes We Learn From and Build On.
Every year, a handful of students in prisons across America take stock of their lives and make changes. Many earn their diplomas, ensuring better options and choices when they get out.
Laughter is the Best Teacher.
How humor and history go together in this classroom.
From Homeless to Johns Hopkins.
Life is never fair. But if you work hard enough, and help someone along the way, you give yourself a better chance to make it.
The Least Likely to Help.
How a bedridden attorney still fights for the rights of others.
Turning Tough News Into Hope.
How 11-year-old Jordan Phillips raised $120,000 to help fund cancer treatment.
Finding Our Way.
Using the natural elements around her, Kala Baybayan Tanaka navigates the ocean in a canoe for up to three weeks using nothing but observations of the natural elements around her.
If You Don’t Know Anything About Orangutans, You Don’t Know Jack.
Meet Jack Dalton, Gloria Barron Prize Winner and the nature conservationist who started by saving the orangutans at age 8.
Finding a New Family at the Mountain Man Rendezvous.
How a Vietnam vet pulled himself out of drug addiction by going back in the past.
From First Response to 11 Years of Friendship.
How EMTs saved a life and then enjoyed living it together.
No Matter Who You Are, You Can Always Help.
The day Muhammad Ali rushed to save a stranger who was about to take his own life.
Click the like button above to access our facebook page, then ‘like us’ to get a dose of positivity in your feed.
No thanks