Tuesday, February 17, 2026
Chance Encounter Changes Life
An excerpt from People -
UPS Driver Asked One Question While Making a Delivery That Changed First-Time Author's Life (Exclusive)
A Ring doorbell moment between a delivery driver and a first-time author turned into a life-changing boost for both men
By Ashley Vega
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| Credit : Damian Lewis @thecallmefirstblueprint |
What started as an ordinary delivery on a New Jersey doorstep quickly turned into a moment neither person saw coming — one that reshaped a career, sparked a friendship and reminded viewers that encouragement doesn’t always move in just one direction.
The viral TikTok shows Kyle Thurkauf, a UPS driver, dropping off boxes of books to Damian Lewis, the author behind Call Me First: A Man’s Blueprint to True Leadership at Home. As Thurkauf carried the packages to the porch, he asked a simple question: “What’s the deal with all these books?”
@thecallmefirstblueprint Here is a clean, search friendly video description you can drop straight in. It stays real, specific, and searchable. A UPS driver noticed the constant book deliveries at my house and asked what was going on. I handed him a copy of the book I wrote, and two days later he came back saying how much it helped him and asking where he could buy it. This book is written for men who want to lead better at home, communicate with confidence, earn real respect, and become dependable husbands and fathers. It breaks down leadership, responsibility, discipline, and presence in a way most men were never taught. If you are a husband, a father, or a man trying to step up, build structure, and stop guessing your way through life, this book was written for you. Available on Amazon and TikTok Shop. Click the link below to get your copy. Optional hashtags if you want them added #mensleadership #fatherhood #husbandgoals #selfdiscipline #callmefirst ♬ Boundless Worship - Josué Novais Piano Worship
“That day was just a normal delivery,” Lewis tells PEOPLE. “Kyle had been dropping off boxes of my books for a while, but we had never actually met face to face. It was usually my wife grabbing the packages or he would leave them on the porch. This was the first time we really crossed paths in person.”
Lewis explained that he wrote the books and offered Thurkauf a copy. While juggling packages, Thurkauf accepted it — a moment some viewers initially missed when the clip began circulating. “A lot of people watching the video thought he never got the book, and the comments kind of took off from there,” Lewis says. “That misunderstanding actually helped the video spread even more.”
But for Lewis, the exchange was never meant to be promotional. “I was just excited that the UPS driver took interest in something I created and wanted to read it,” he says. “It was just a real, everyday interaction.”
Days later, that everyday interaction became something extraordinary. Thurkauf returned — even though he didn’t have a delivery scheduled — to tell Lewis how much he enjoyed the book and ask where others could buy it. “For him to come back just to say that meant everything,” Lewis says.
https://people.com/ups-driver-helps-local-author-sell-9000-books-exclusive-11897631
Life-Changing Books
An excerpt from Upworthy -
We asked people to share books that changed their life. Here are 12 top reads.
The power of a good book is unmatched.
By Annie Reneau
Out of all human inventions, books might just be the greatest. That's a bold statement in the face of computers, the Internet, and the International Space Station, but none of those things would be possible without books. The written record of human knowledge has allowed our learning advancements to be passed down through generations, not to mention how incredible it is that we're able to capture human creativity through longform storytelling.
Books have the power to change our lives on a fundamental level, shift our thinking, influence our beliefs, put us in touch with our feelings, and help us understand ourselves and one another better. That's why, in January 2024, we asked Upworthy's audience to share a book that changed their life. Thousands of responses later, we have a list of inspiring reads that rose to the top.
Unsurprisingly, the most common responses were religious scriptures—the Bible, the Quran, the Book of Mormon, etc. Beyond those, here are the most common books, both fiction and non-fiction, that people considered life-changing.
1. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
"From the very first page, Coelho's storytelling prowess weaves a tapestry of adventure, wisdom, and self-discovery that is unparalleled. The protagonist's quest for his personal legend resonated deeply with me, prompting introspection into my own aspirations and purpose. The narrative, while seemingly a simple tale, unravels layers of universal truths and timeless wisdom that are applicable to every reader's journey." – Matt Brown
"Such greatness. Coelho tells the story with simplicity and elegance, and it is beautiful. The Alchemist is rhetorical kind of book that stays with you, and demands some time to unfold in your mind. Loved it!" – J. Green
2. The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz
"This book literally changed my outlook on so many things. I’ve read it at least three times completely through. It helps deal with anxiety and helps you reframe and analyze your thoughts which may be troubling you. The writing style is great and I’ve already read other books by the same author. Would highly recommend purchasing this if you want to rethink your assumptions about yourself or other people." – Freddy
"By far the best book I’ve read. The simplicity in composition and detail is amazing. Would recommend everyone have a read. This book is truly a masterpiece." – Joshua
"I remember reading the book many years ago and being moved by it especially being from the North and not as familiar with racism. I wondered why some schools were banning it so decided to revisit. I had forgotten the details but it is still an important book and reminds us that the fight against all prejudice is never finished and its current resurgence is cause for concern. This book should be required reading at a pretty young age. We can’t change what we don’t understand. If you have children read it with them and teach them well." – Maria
"I can’t imagine, for the life of me, why this book has been banned. It is the most moral and righteous book I’ve ever read. It represents a time in our history when racism was endemic to the white population except for one compassionate lawyer. Told from his children’s point of view with an unforgettable narrator, the story of a small southern town comes alive." – Peggy
Kesha Speaks on Marriage
@keshaspeaks The data has been clear for years. The conditioning just hoped you wouldn’t notice. 😏 Sign up for the SpeakEasy newsletter at the link in my bio to unpack conversations just like this.
♬ original sound - Kesha Speaks
Finally Getting Her Flowers!
An excerpt from Atlanta Black Star -
‘No One Else Could Do It’: Ice Skater Surya Bonaly Hits Back as Ilia Malinin Gets Olympic Glory — and the Medal — for What Derailed Her Career
By Angelina
Figure skating fans will not allow history to be rewritten during the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy. Headlines are buzzing over the acrobatic ice skating stunt that helped to push U.S. athlete Ilia “Quad God” Malinin into uncharted gold medal success.
The 21-year-old became the first person to victoriously complete an in-competition backflip and land on one foot during his free skate routine on Feb. 8. But in the last few days, viral clips of his history-making accomplishment sparked fanfare and debates.
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| Olympian Surya Bonaly speaks after another ice skater was given a medal for a flip that she was punished for over 20 years ago. (Photos by Simon Bruty/Anychance/Getty Images; suryabonaly1/Instagram; Andy Cheung/Getty Images) |
One viewer gushed, “I know his performance today had a slight misstep, but this dude did a backflip and landed on ONE skate!! He’s 21 years old so we will get to see him for a ling time. Ilia Malinin is amazing.”
That reaction and others like it, though, were greeted with reminders of the legend who made the flip iconic. The high-stakes maneuver was banned 30 years ago and only became a legal move in 2024.
The formerly forbidden stunt, known as “the Bonaly flip,” was named after Surya Bonaly, a skater who competed for France in the 1998 Nagano Games.
The performance was a final fête marking her retirement from competition and years of being penalized and overlooked for her transformative and athletic approach to the sport.
Judges docked points from Bonaly for deploying the incredible trick in her professional finale, dropping her from sixth place to tenth. She told reporters that her goal was to “show the judges — who don’t appreciate what I do — just what I can do.”
Charma La'Donna - Making Magic
Charm La’Donna Is The Black Woman Behind The Super Bowl’s Biggest Moments
By BIN
Saturday, January 31, 2026
Advice I Wish I Had Years Ago
@keshaspeaks You didn’t fail the relationship. You outgrew the version of yourself who carried it. 😌
♬ original sound - Kesha Speaks
https://www.tiktok.com/@keshaspeaks/video/7578657595402063134?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc
Well?
@dallas_observer ICYMI: Last week, we invited Cure for Paranoia’s frontman, Cameron McCloud, into the office to film one of his viral daily verses ahead of his concert at Trees, which Dallas Observer is sponsoring. We then learned that the band will have a noteworthy speaker introducing them: Rep. Jasmine Crockett. To announce her run for Senate, @Jasmine Crockett asked @Cure For Paranoia ♬ original sound - Dallas Observer
https://www.tiktok.com/@dallas_observer/video/7584559512435051831?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc
Ethiopia!
@surgentv Cradle of Humankind #fyp #foryoupage #ethiopia #ethiopian_tik_tok ♬ original sound - Surgen
https://www.tiktok.com/@surgentv/video/7575644881410870550?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc
(I had the pleasure of visiting this amazing country when I lived in the UAE. It was a joy to behold. - Faye)
A Fabulous In-Home Daycare
@the_whitneyc They did a phenomenal job getting this together! She will be helping me revamp this Summer #childcare #inhomedaycare #charlottenc #daycare #daycareprovider ♬ MINI VLOG. - ALOHI STYLE
https://www.tiktok.com/@the_whitneyc/video/7591740419986279735?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc
The Real Hidden Figures
An excerpt from People -
The Inspiring True Story of Hidden Figures: Meet the Real NASA Mathematicians Who Got Man on the Moon
The movie based on Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson was the top-grossing Oscar-nominated film of 2017
By Nicole Briese
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Taraji P. Henson in Hidden Figures (2016) ; NASA space scientist, and mathematician Katherine Johnson at NASA Langley Research Center in 1966 in Hampton, Virginia.
Credit : Hopper Stone/Twentieth Century Fox ; NASA/Donaldson Collection/Getty
Hidden Figures may have been a box office sensation thanks to its leading ladies Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer and Janelle Monáe, but it was the story of the real NASA women behind the film that captivated the world.
The behind-the-scenes calculations done by mathematicians Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson became instrumental to the space race missions headed by astronauts such as John Glenn (the first American to orbit the Earth), Alan Shepard (the first American in space) and Neil Armstrong (the first person to walk on the moon).
"These [women] are our true American heroes," Monáe, who portrayed Jackson in the three-time Oscar-nominated movie told CNN. "It's because of them that we can have that as America. We can feel proud that we achieved something so extraordinary."
More than nailing their numbers, the real-life women behind the characters, known as “calculators” in the NASA Langley Research Center where they worked, were pioneers of the workforce, overcoming gender and race discrimination to break glass ceilings in their field.
Johnson gave Henson and co. her stamp of approval, telling the Los Angeles Times of the film, “It was well-done. The three leading ladies did an excellent job portraying us.”
Keep reading to find out the inspired true story of Hidden Figures, from its historically accurate events to its inspiring real-life trailblazers.
Who was Katherine Johnson?
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| Katherine Johnson. | NASA/Donaldson Collection/Getty |
Creola Katherine Johnson, known as the “human computer,” was a mathematician who worked for NASA from 1953 to 1986.
Having entered high school at the age of 10, she graduated summa cum laude from college at age 18 per the organization. “I counted everything. I counted the steps to the road, the steps up to church, the number of dishes and silverware I washed ... anything that could be counted, I did,” she later recalled to NASA.
The Virginia school teacher went on to become the first Black woman to integrate into West Virginia University’s graduate school in 1939, though she left prematurely to focus on her family with husband James Goble. Johnson later married James A. Johnson following Goble’s death in 1956.
After joining NASA in 1953, Johnson continued to make history. In 1960, she co-authored a report with a NASA engineer, marking the first time a woman in her flight research division had ever been credited on a research report. “The movie and book were pretty accurate. Women did not have their names included as authors on technical [papers] in the early days,” Johnson later told the Los Angeles Times.
According to the institution, Johnson’s calculations were instrumental in supporting some of the biggest milestones in aeronautic history. She contributed a trajectory analysis for Freedom 7, the first American spacecraft to carry a person into space in 1961. She also famously ran hand calculations confirming the computerized orbital equations that controlled the trajectory of Glenn’s Friendship 7 mission — the first to orbit Earth — in 1962.
In later years, Johnson worked on what she went on to cite as her greatest contribution to space: her calculations for the organization’s Apollo projects, including the lunar module (the lander spacecraft that allowed for Apollo 11’s first flight to the Moon), the Apollo 11 mission, and the Apollo 13 mission, for which she provided contingency procedures that allowed its astronauts to get home safely when its equipment malfunctioned.
She also reportedly worked on calculations for the fourth human space flight program, a.k.a. the Space Shuttle program, and helped create plans for a mission to Mars.
A Brilliant Mathematician
We mourn the passing of VSU alumna Dr. Gladys West, a trailblazer whose brilliance helped shape modern GPS technology. Her legacy of excellence, innovation, and service will forever inspire Trojan Nation. pic.twitter.com/8vRpKtgZJ8
— Virginia State University (@VSU_1882) January 19, 2026
Love Her Spirit!
@lainedubin THE WINNER TAKES IT ALLLLLLLLL🏆🥇 🎥 @Emma #figureskating #figureskatingtiktok #iceskating #iceskatingtiktok #plussizefigureskater #figureskatingtiktoks #iceskater #figureskater #adultfigureskater #adultsskatetoo ♬ The Winner Takes It All - Mamma Mia Songs
https://www.tiktok.com/@lainedubin/video/7484290589974957343?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc
Wednesday, January 28, 2026
“The Most POWERFUL Thing a Human Has Ever Said!" - The Walter Payton Sto...
https://youtu.be/iO0VKuK_7aM?si=GaO-qnmrDEvGAloI
BLACK Men send POWERFUL Messages to black women this is amazing
https://youtu.be/g9NH1wTD7fQ?si=FHRAMODlnVlUB4WL
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