Relive the Most Inspiring Moments of 2015

2015 is almost over, and many people are glad to see it go, if only for the symbolic feeling of starting over with the promise of a new year. But it’s important to remember the good moments – and 2015 did have some big ones.

Our look back at the most inspiring videos and trends of 2015 documents everyday people showing strength and compassion, like 8-year-old Alex McKelvey performing 600 acts of kindness for strangers, or 86-year-old Ann Dilley continuing to take college classes for 36 years. There was teen mother Trameka Pope, who went from being homeless to becoming her high school valedictorian, and churches around the country who demonstrated the Christian virtue of generosity by giving huge tips to pizza delivery drivers.

When it comes to happy tears, nothing beats videos of soldiers coming home to surprise their children – unless it’s videos of crowds cheering with joy following the Supreme Court ruling that legalized same-sex marriage across the country.

Other inspiring moments came in the wake of grief, like Robin Williams’ daughter Zelda writing a powerful Instagram post about depression after her father’s suicide, or the French father who comforted his young son after the Paris attacks, saying “They may have guns, but we have flowers.” More recently, arson victim Safyre Terry received more than 700,000 Christmas cards from strangers around the world after her story went viral on Facebook.

Here’s hoping that 2016 brings us even more progress and faith in humanity. Happy New Year.