4 stories that will warm your heart

“After my 77-year-old aunt became a widow, I admit, I started to hover. She lived alone out in the boonies, and I was concerned, especially once it got dark. During one morning phone chat, I asked how she was holding up at night.

“‘I’m happy. I sit out back and watch the fireworks before bed,’ she replied. ‘It’s quite a show.’

“Confused, because the Fourth of July had long passed, I decided to drive over at dusk to investigate, and found her rocking in her chair on her back porch, staring out at her grass and the trees. When she noticed me, she simply patted the chair next to her and I joined her. That was when I saw hundreds of fireflies lighting up the lawn and trees.

“‘Do you like my fireworks?’ she asked.

“My heart filled with nostalgic joy. ‘I had forgotten about the magic,’ I uttered. ‘They’re the best fireworks in the world.’”

—Tracey Morgan, 46,

Bonne Terre, MO