A nurse helps explain some of the more baffling COVID-19 restrictions affecting everyday life

[A nurse helps explain some of the more baffling COVID-19 restrictions affecting everyday life]( Since the beginning of the pandemic, guidelines and restrictions and mandates have come at us in a dizzying fashion. Each state has done things differently, and in most states each county has its own approach as well. And while some of the mitigation measures make perfect sense, others seem questionable or downright silly. Some criticisms are certainly legitimate. Allowing certain indoor gatherings while closing down outdoor park spaces, for example, is an approach that has been panned by prominent experts in epidemiology who rightly point out that outdoor spaces are safer. But that doesn't mean that all measures that seem odd to us aren't based in solid reasoning. [Read the Story]( [Brandon Bernard's senseless execution shows just how wrong the federal death penalty really is]( Brandon Bernard, 40, was executed at 9:27 pm Thursday night at the federal prison in Terre Haute, Indiana for a crime he committed when he was 18. "I'm sorry," Brandon Bernard said, opening his three-minute speech that would amount to his final words."That's the only words I can say that completely capture how I feel now and how I felt that day." [Read the Story]( In Partnership with Templeton World Charity Foundation [First ever "Forgiveness Forum" to convene peacemakers, politicians and experts from around the world]( In a year characterized by racial injustice, political polarization and economic uncertainty, not to mention an ongoing pandemic, it's going to take a lot more than a motivational poster of a sunrise to inspire the world toward unity. For genuine change to occur, we need to move past platitudes, and rekindle compassion through community and conversation. Recognizing this global need, Templeton World Charity Foundation (TWCF) launched the Forgiveness Forum, a new series of timely virtual conversations set to kick off on December 16, 2020. The events will explore how forgiveness can be used as a tool for personal growth and global healing by not only clarifying how forgiveness and justice — two seemingly disparate processes — can exist side by side, but also looking at the surprising science behind the physical and mental health benefits that forgiveness holds. [Read the Story]( [Why I regret writing about trying to understand Trump supporters]( A few weeks ago, I wrote an article about how I was done trying to understand Trump supporters after having spent four years at it. While I try to only write things I am proud of, I occasionally write something that doesn't sit well with me after it's published. This is one of those times. I have messages in my inbox from people thanking me for that piece, saying it helped them understand their loved ones better, so I know some people found some parts of it helpful. But ultimately, I would take it back if I could. Please bear with me while I try to explain why. [Read the Story]( [Mom's creative reaction to her daughter's dirty sock on the floor hilariously escalates]( Every parent knows the woe of kids leaving their dirty clothes lying around. When I was a kid, my dad would see my pile of clothes on the bathroom after I took a shower and cry, "Oh no! Annie melted!" I thought that was a clever alternative to yelling at me to pick up my stuff, but it doesn't hold a candle to the way a Washington state mom handled a dirty sock left behind by her daughter. Xep Campbell shared how her and her 10-year-old daughter Kestrel's creative one-upsmanship escalated on Facebook, and people are loving it. [Read the Story]( Find us on the World Wide Web: [Facebook]( [Instagram]( [Website]( Copyright © 2020 GOOD | Upworthy, All rights reserved. 1370 N St Andrews Pl, Los Angeles, CA 90028 You can [update your preferences]( or [unsubscribe from this list](.