There is positive news that surrounds us daily. Sometimes its hard to find but often it can be a small gesture or a kind word. Once in a while, positive news is monumental in size and scope.

Today, we celebrate positive news of enormous proportions - ground-breaking, revolutionary and truly amazing. Our world sighs a collective breath, knowing there is promise in in the air.

The first African American, Barack Obama is elected as President of the United States.

His victory speech says it all:

If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible; who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time; who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.

The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even one term, but America – I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there. I promise you – we as a people will get there.

Barack Obama - America's New President Elect

Congratulations, world. Today is a day full of positive news and tremendous possibility!

Sonya Barclay was in serious need of some positive news. Her breast cancer had spread through her bones and feeling worn-out from treatment. But that didn’t stop her from wanting to make some improvements to her old home, in serious disrepair, that housed her four children, her husband and herself. She and her husband decided to compile a tape for “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.”

Surely the producers of the TV show would see this family’s need and want to take on the project. Her family worked hard to compile a video that displayed the hardship they had fallen under, with her husband explaining to the camera how he had recently lost his job at the local mill, which had recently shut down.

But the TV show receives a lot of tapes. And unfortunately the Barclays weren’t one of the chosen families.

So what did her community do? They built a house for her. The city of Old Town, Maine gathered and in the old “barn raising” tradition built a new, 3 story home for the Barclays within 22 days with the help of 400 volunteers and 22 businesses.

The Barclays were floored (literally!)

Says Sonya:

“This to me is more than a dream come true. And it didn’t take a TV show to build this house. It was built out of love, compassion and they knew that we needed it and they went ahead and did it.”

For 85 hours George Hood focused on nothing but pedaling his bike.? He was allowed a 5 minute break for each hour of pedaling completed.? However, other than that, he was on a mission to pedal, and pedal, and pedal some more.? What he was racing toward wasn’t really any particular location; after all, he was pedalling on a stationary bike.? What he was after, however, was a title in the Guiness Book of World Records and a successful fundraising drive for the Illinois chapter of COPS, an organization specifically designed to help the families of slain police officers.? He did both.? The title, upon proper certification by Guiness officials, will be his AND the event raised $25,000 for COPS.? Hood had about 200 people on-site to cheer him on for a job well done.? Congratulations for doing something that not only provides you a sense of satisfaction and acknowledgment, but also helps a group of deserving people.? Nice Job!

It would have taken the man? almost three years to earn the amount of cash he found in the suitcase.? No one had seen him find it, and no one would have ever known he had it.? But, he knew.? Jose Breta was performing his duties as a trash collector working in Rio de Janeiro when he found a suitcase stuffed with 12,000 reals (about $5,500 USD) behind a lottery ticket sales office.? The owner had apparently hidden the suitcase? in the trash pile? to protect the money from thieves.? Breta figured out who the owner was and returned every penny.? His reward?? ? $450.00 and a clear conscience.? Breta is quoted by the Associated Press as saying, “At first I wanted to keep the money, but when I? gave it back, my conscience was freed.? Returning the money was the best thing I ever did.”? ? ?