The Optimist: In the Great Smoky Mountains, fireflies have become a source of tourism — and solace

How the generosity of a small Canadian town after 9/11 transformed me forever ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

Sign up for this newsletter Read online Stories that inspire.     The news doesn't have to feel overwhelming. This week we launched The 7, a quick rundown of the seven biggest stories of the day. It's designed to make the news more manageable: what you need to know, how it affects your life, delivered how you want it. Sign up for The 7 newsletter to get caught up in three minutes or less every weekday at 7 a.m. Eastern. — Steven Johnson, newsletter editor (Travis Dove for The Post) In the Great Smoky Mountains, fireflies have become a source of tourism — and solace In these dark times, people from all over have sought an entirely different kind of illumination. From the Magazine ●  By Leigh Ann Henion ●  Read more »   I was stranded in Newfoundland on Sept. 11. Here's my 'Come From Away' story. I was one of the thousands of fliers diverted to shelter for days in a small Canadian town after the 9/11 attacks. Our hosts' generosity would change me forever. Perspective ●  By Amy Polacko ●  Read more »   See the winners of The Post's 22nd annual Travel photo contest The winning entries in our annual competition remind us we should never take travel for granted. By Washington Post staff ●  Read more »   ADVERTISEMENT   'The Wire' made Michael K. Williams an icon, but the rest of his work showed he was far more than just one role The character actor, best known as Omar Little on "The Wire," brought charisma, a sense of service and immense talent to a small but enduring body of work. Perspective ●  By Inkoo Kang ●  Read more »   She survived the Tulsa Race Massacre. Now, at 107, she's become a queen mother. Viola Fletcher and her 100-year-old brother flew in August from Oklahoma to Ghana, where they were honored by the West African nation for their resilience and fearlessness. By DeNeen L. Brown ●  Read more »   Australian musk ducks have the ability to call you a 'bloody fool,' research finds A 35-year-old recording appearing to capture a duck swearing repeatedly was a "special rediscovery" for the study of vocal learning among animals — and a humorous break for Australians in lockdown. By Jennifer Hassan ●  Read more »   Get breaking news alerts, offline reading lists and more. Download the app   Same as it ever was: These photos show how life in the '70s mirrors life today The snapshots, found in a dumpster behind a photo-processing plant in San Francisco in the 1970s, show the common threads that hold our lives together across time. Perspective ●  By Kenneth Dickerman ●  Read more »   ADVERTISEMENT   I was 16 on 9/11. As a Muslim American, I was inspired to serve — and still do to this day. For me, Sept. 11 was a calling of faith and duty. The Lily ●  By Sadia Ali Heil ●  Read more »   Meet the women who turned a run-down Canadian motel into a Netflix hit How two college friends started a collection of design-driven motels, and where they're traveling next. By Natalie B. Compton ●  Read more »   This photographer's back pain was severe and sudden. It resulted in photographs of strength. Rikke Mathiasen was diagnosed with scoliosis at 14 years old. Ten years later, she used her camera to explore her condition, her pain and her resilience. Perspective ●  By Tristen Rouse ●  Read more »     We think you'll like this newsletter Check out Eat Voraciously for one quick, adaptable and creative recipe in your inbox Monday through Thursday to inspire delicious meals. Sign up »

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