A picture may say a thousand words, but those thousand words could be way off the mark if you don’t know the backstory .
While some pics may be self-explanatory, others require a backstory in order to appreciate what they truly mean.
“Picked up my new car on Friday. Woke up to a power outage this AM and this present on top of my car.”
Car mishaps are nothing new, but if this happens immediately after buying your first car, it might be a sign that the universe doesn’t want you to be a car owner.
“2 years ago I splurged some money and bought a camera because I’d always wanted to try to take pictures of the stars. The top picture was the only decent picture out of 700 taken on my first clueless attempt. The bottom was taken about 2 weeks ago.”
Have you ever taken a pic of a starry sky with your phone only to get a dark, blurry mess? Turns out all you need is an elite camera and a lot of patience.
“The older man was paused at the top of an escalator afraid to hop on. This young man offered the simplest kindness: an out-reached arm and a ‘can I help you on, sir?'”
Many of us have good hearts and want to help others, but social awkwardness gets in the way. Sometimes, you just need to go for it and offer a helping hand.
“A few months ago, I had a top post that I was just starting chemo. Today I found out that my tumor shrank to about half its size and the cancerous nodules in my lungs are gone! Also I got to play with adorable kittens.”
This is a great attitude. Chemo might suck, but hey — things are getting better. Also, kittens!
“My dog went missing over a month ago, after sharing pictures and getting the help from some amazing people, he was found 12 miles from home on a busy road running in the pouring rain today. After a bath, 3 hamburgers, and a belly rub, he fell fast asleep on top of me.”
Anyone who’s ever had a pet go missing and then return knows what a relief it is. They also know how much that pet is going to milk the situation and get treats.
“Hi, I’m 17 and I’m making knives. This is my latest one.”
Anyone can look at this knife and say, “Nice knife.” But if it’s a knife you personally have made, it means that much more.
“My dad has been in America for over 20 years. He’s still amazed by the giant portions.”
It’s hard to appreciate if you were born and raised in the United States, but yeah, portion sizes are pretty wild compared to other parts of the world.
“I learned how to braid my girlfriend’s hair during Covid. This is my best French braid to date.”
Braiding isn’t terribly difficult, but it’s tough to do well. Clearly this person has been practicing for awhile.
“It’s my first birthday in 15 years I’m not working and I made awesome burgers to celebrate.”
Working on holidays is one thing, because you generally get extra pay. But working on your birthday has no such benefits. Props to this person for treating themselves.
“Our house burned down yesterday, so we’re partying in the fanciest clothes we own!”
I’m guessing that, after their bad luck, these may be the only clothes this couple owns. At least they’re able to have fun with the situation.
“My hamster died 3 days ago. My 10-year-old niece just gave me money to ‘get another when I’m ready.'”
Kids can be so cute and so compassionate. This person can probably afford 20 bucks for a new hamster, but it’s the thought that counts.
“Got accepted into my dream school-the same school my dad and grandparents went to!”
When I got accepted into college, I just got a letter in which the institution reluctantly acknowledged that I could attend if I wanted. This guy got the red carpet.
“A child vaccinated. A father, relieved. I think I can finally exhale.”
Before kids were approved for covid vaccinations, many parents had their hearts in their throat. It’s a massive relief to get them vaccinated.
“We bought our first house!”
There’s no feeling quite like making the biggest purchase of your life and setting aside a piece of land to live on.
“We met here on reddit (r4r) and he flew from the UK to celebrate my birthday (I’m from Turkey).”
I’m always curious how these pen pal relationships work out in the long run, but it sure is heartwarming to see the initial meet-up.
“Seven years ago, this boulder by my house was in one piece, and it had a small sapling growing out of some shallow dirt on top.”
Trees grow very slowly, but they’re still strong. It doesn’t seem to matter what stands in their way.
“Went to fill up my water bottle in the break room during a CPR course today.”
This would be a horrifying sight late at night in a darkened room, but it’s a totally normal sight at a CPR class.
“What made this morning’s trip to the bathroom interesting is that I don’t actually own a cat.”
As a cat guy, I’m always up for finding surprise cats, even if their origins remain a mystery. But still, pretty sure this cat’s actual owner would rather it hung out at home.
“One of our clients—sentenced to die in prison. He was given a new chance and now drives trucks for a living. He just saw snow for the very first time in his life.”
If you’ve never seen someone experiencing snow for the first time, it’s a sight that will warm your jaded soul.
“We’re the Wikipedia ‘high five’ couple, now we’re married and teaching it to our kids. Up high!”
This one is just delightful. The parents in this pic are featured on Wikipedia’s article for ‘high five,’ demonstrating up high, down low, too slow and all the various permutations of high fives. Apparently they’re passing it on.
