A reader recently sent me a link to a lovely story. It’s about how the people of Kauai have responded to help one another after catastrophic flooding on the Hawaiian island. “It’s an incredible outpouring of people wanting to help other people,” said one volunteer. “It’s just heartwarming to see these people.”

That same spirit was present in Detroit, when police and truck drivers lined up 13 semitrucks under a bridge after a man threatened to jump to his death. Had he jumped, he would have fallen only about 10 feet, thanks to their large hearts and quick thinking.

The photo of those trucks, lined up side by side, tells a bigger story, just like those strong Hawaiian backs do. They are rebellions repeated countless times the world over. Unity can seem an elusive ideal these days. But it is not, really. It is all around us. The Atlantic’s James Fallows just finished a multiyear tour of the United States. His conclusion? “Americans don’t realize how fast the country is moving toward becoming a better version of itself.” Focusing on disunity, he says, we miss the good that is going on.

Division is largely a matter of choice. We can choose to weigh divisions of sex, race, religion, and nationality more than unity. Or not. Emergencies sweep away the etceteras of life and leave us naked in front of one another. Then, it is the human spirit that overflows. But it is always there, just waiting to rumble into action like 13 semitrucks on a Michigan highway or a heartwarming chorus of Hawaiian chainsaws. 

Here are our five stories for today, which touch on the hope of an American dream, new faces of enthusiasm in politics, and a school where truly no student is allowed to be left behind.