This has been another year filled with news stories and photos that can be difficult or disturbing to view. For a decade now, I’ve made it an annual tradition, after rounding up the news photos of the year, to compose a companion essay of uplifting images from the past 12 months—an effort to seek out and recognize some of the abundant joy and kindness present in the world around us. Below are images from 2024 of families and friends at play, expressions of love and compassion, personal victories, volunteers at work, assistance being given to those in need, and small and pleasant moments.
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