“I run in a habit as a statement because then people say, ‘Why are you running in your habit?’ ” she says. “It gives me a chance to tell them I’m running for the children.”

Sister Mary Elizabeth Lloyd is part of a beautiful piece the New York Times is running (pun intended) called “Running Voices.” The intent of the piece is to show the huge cross-section of people who run for causes, for their health, for the spirit of the race.

Take a look at the beautiful photo series on this page.

Sister Mary Elizabeth Lloyd is running for the children who have become orphans because their parents have died of AIDS. Last year she published AIDS Orphans Rising, a book chronicling the growing plight of millions of kids who watched their parents die of the devastating disease and then became heads of households, caring for younger siblings.

“What I love about running is you can meditate while running. It’s a peaceful place. You pray and think of the children and what you’re doing, and you get through it. The time passes clearly. The first mile is the hardest.”

I had a friend once who gave me some very simple advice on feeling good.

He said, “When I’m feeling overwhelmed or down or just scattered, I look up into the sky. For several minutes. You have to do it for a few minutes for it to work right. Just keep looking up and you’ll notice that internal chatter will start dying down. There’s something about the sky that’s so wide, never-ending, all-encompassing, that it just puts everything else into perspective. My life and all its worries seem smaller and there’s more space in my mind.”

Sure, monkeys are adorable and intelligent creatures. But in some places, they can be a real nuisance. Take Punjab, India, for instance:

Punjabi officials have a solution to rehabilitate the worst-behaving monkeys: monkey school.

The new school, which will eventually house up to 100 monkeys, will provide the primates with trainers who will work to tame their aggression, and help them learn to behave more like the wild animals that they are supposed to be.

While they’re not likely to learn reading, writing, and ‘rithmatic at their new school, hopefully, they’ll ace their etiquette test by the time they graduate. Or at least manage to refrain from stealing bananas out of their teachers’ hands.

Here’s an excerpt from a letter sent to me by an old friend:

“You know, for years, I always thought becoming more positive was a chore. It was something I had to work toward. Therefore, it never came easily.

As I get older, I realize positivity can be gleaned easily. It is no longer a task. I can find positivity in a cup of tea! I know, that may sound silly but it’s true.

When my nerves are frazzled from a busy day or when I just feel disconnected, I go in the kitchen and make myself a hot cup of tea. I use my favorite mug, with a beautiful, hand-painted floral design. The cup alone makes me feel a little more upbeat. Then I sit down and drink the tea…consciously.

It’s really amazing and I know it may sound overly simplistic but I feel so much better afterwards: more grounded and centered and content.

You can imagine what other small things in your life can do that for you: a bath, a walk around the block, some music, etc. But bottom line: positivity does not have to be such a big deal! It’s all around you.”

At first they might come across as insincere but The Compliment Guys are quite serious in their intent: they want to spread as much good cheer as humanly possible.

According to Lafayette Online, the two stand in the center of campuses weekly “giving out free compliments to thousands of passersby. Initial suspicion of their motives quickly melted in the face of their enthusiasm and earnestness.”

“When I started giving compliments on the Purdue campus almost a year ago, I never expected it to be so well received all over the world,” said complimenter Brent Westcott (along with Cameron Brown.) “This trip will allow us to share the same good feelings with people around the country that we have exchanged at Purdue.”

The BrightSide tour begins today in New Orleans. From there, the dynamic duo will travel to Birmingham, Ala.; Atlanta; Charleston, S.C.; Charlotte, N.C.; Washington; Baltimore; Philadelphia; and New York City. The tour ends on Aug. 7 in Rochester, N.Y.

Take a quick look at this fun video to see these guys in action!

“We are happy we came here, full of joy, full of life,” said 11-year-old Marwan Mohammad. “We hope that we can be free and can enjoy the same freedom these kites enjoy in the air. All we are looking for is to grow up like normal children.”

What a difference a kite makes. In war-torn areas, a kite becomes painfully symbolic: of peace, of hope, of beauty.

Palestinian children fly kites along the beach during a UN-sponsored summer camp in Gaza City on July 30, 2009. Thousands of children in the Gaza Strip sought to break the world record for kite flying in a rare moment of respite from the war-battered enclave’s daily life.

What small change could you make to your environment that speaks volumes? What sign can you send up into the air? What ways can you send a sign of peace?