2017 has been another year of news stories that produced photos which can often be difficult or disturbing to view. I’ve made it a tradition to compose an essay of uplifting images from the past year. The following are images of personal victories, families and friends at play, expressions of love and compassion, volunteers at work, assistance being given to those in need, or simply small and pleasant moments. While composing these, I am always reminded of one of my favorite quotes from Mr. Rogers, who once said that when he was young and saw scary things in the news, “My mother would say to me, ‘look for the helpers—you will always find people who are helping.’ To this day, I remember my mother's words and I am always comforted by realizing that there are still so many helpers—so many caring people in this world.”