The Optimist: I crossed the U.S. on foot with a group of strangers 40 years ago. It was one of the best decisions of my life.

A high school was struggling to find a space for prom. Then a car dealership opened its showroom. ; Torn between embracing your pandemic looks or changing them? Here's how to feel your best.; High school valedictorians put a year like no other in perspective; 30 observations from my first vaccinated flight; The octopus is officially having a moment. This aquarist has been in awe of them for years.; These mothers in India got covid-19 — and couldn't breastfeed. Others stepped up.; He plays for United. She's a star for the Spirit. Together, they make quite a team.; Store owners found a discarded $1 million winning lottery ticket. They reunited it with the customer who bought it.; The minor leagues — forever quirky, forever beloved — make their return to ballparks across the country; A conversation with author Mitch Albom | 11 a.m. ET ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

Sign up for this newsletter Read online Stories that inspire.     (Reese Lukei) I crossed the U.S. on foot with a group of strangers 40 years ago. It was one of the best decisions of my life. Called Hikanation, the journey took about 14 months and 4,200 miles to complete. Perspective ●  By Stacey Waring ●  Read more »   A high school was struggling to find a space for prom. Then a car dealership opened its showroom. "We actually made it work," said Brandon Wright, who owns the dealership across the street from Covington High School. By Sydney Page ●  Read more »   Torn between embracing your pandemic looks or changing them? Here's how to feel your best. Gray hair, wrinkles and extra pounds can be challenging reminders of more than a year of social upheaval. By Jelena Kecmanovic ●  Read more »   High school valedictorians put a year like no other in perspective The past year has tested the resilience of a cohort of seniors throughout the country. It has made them think more, they say, about the world and their place in it. And their purpose in it. By Joe Heim ●  Read more »   ADVERTISEMENT   30 observations from my first vaccinated flight Everything you hated about flying is back, baby — but even the most annoying parts are kind of beautiful now. By Natalie B. Compton ●  Read more »   The octopus is officially having a moment. This aquarist has been in awe of them for years. Peter Larson of the National Aquarium says the octopus has taught him a lot about himself. From the Magazine ●  By Rachel Manteuffel ●  Read more »   These mothers in India got covid-19 — and couldn't breastfeed. Others stepped up. "When I woke up after a few hours, I saw a video of my son drinking milk, playfully," Badrinath recalled. "I broke down in happiness. I was touched." The Lily ●  By Yashraj Sharma and Saqib Mugloo ●  Read more »   ADVERTISEMENT   He plays for United. She's a star for the Spirit. Together, they make quite a team. After years apart, the married Spirit and United midfielders call Washington home. By Steven Goff ●  Read more »   Store owners found a discarded $1 million winning lottery ticket. They reunited it with the customer who bought it. Abhi Shah, whose family owns the Lucky Stop convenience store in Southwick, Mass., discovered the winning ticket as he was cleaning up on March 26, ten days after the ticket was discarded. By Meryl Kornfield ●  Read more »   The minor leagues — forever quirky, forever beloved — make their return to ballparks across the country The eccentricities that anchor minor league baseball's place in the hearts of fans and families made it through the pandemic largely intact. By Chelsea Janes ●  Read more »   A conversation with author Mitch Albom | 11 a.m. ET On Wednesday, May 26 at 11:00 a.m. ET, best-selling author Mitch Albom joins Washington Post Live to discuss his charitable work aimed at testing and vaccine access, along with his latest book. By Washington Post Live ●  Read more »     We think you'll like this newsletter Check out What Day Is It? for tips on how to recover your sense of time and make the most of pandemic life with this 7-day email course. Sign up »

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