ENVOUR

A 9-year-old boy was nearly swept over a 300-foot waterfall at Yosemite National Park on Saturday — until he was saved by someone not very much older than himself. Alec Smith, 16, after hearing the mother’s cries, leapt over a protective fence and jumped into the raging Merced River, pulling the boy to safety just yards from the massive drop over the Vernal Falls waterfall. Alec was philosophical about the rescue, which park rangers said put him at considerable risk: “Don’t think about what could have happened,” he told the  San Jose  Mercury News . “Be grateful for what did happen.”

Two weeks ago the nation mourned the loss of the beloved Chicago  Sun-Times  film critic Roger Ebert. But the  15th annual Ebertfest , which commenced Wednesday at the University of Illinois, was a celebration of everything he valued. Widow Chaz Ebert opened the festival according to the specific instructions left by her husband, including an appearance by a gospel choir who joined the audience in a sing-a-long of the 1960’s hit, “Those Were the Days.”

As the 41st President of the United States, George H.W. Bush has had his share of formal duties. But it’s probably the first time an 88-year-old former commander-in-chief introduced the newest members of the Houston Texans’ cheerleading squad. Bush gave a rose to each of the women in a  special ceremony on Wednesday  and sported some extremely handsome star-spangled socks to boot.

  As a teenager, Meredith Richardson had promised her dying grandmother that she would look after her young brother and sister — only to see them be put into foster care and disappear behind a wall of bureaucracy and red tape. Now, after a 15-year struggle with the Los Angeles County foster care system, Meredith, Marilyn and Aubrey have finally been reunited.  “This whole experience has made me want so much more for myself and my future. Unconditional love — there’s nothing like it,” Marilyn told the Los Angeles  Times  in a heartwarming story published Wednesday.  “I want to live up to my new family’s picture of me and be a good sister for them and to be happy they found me.”

I don’t know if I’m good at giving advice on relationships, but you all will admit that it is essential and necessary you support your partner. When I mean support, it’s not just helping financially, certainly not just showing emotion, saying I LOVE YOU or not just sex but helping them to achieve their goals. The biggest impact you can do in your partner’s life is assisting them to accomplish their goal in life. They can never ever forget you. If you’re in a relationship, engaged or married, at some point you get to hear your partner talking about what they aspire to become. During such conversations, be attentive and you will notice the joy in their faces as they talk to you. That goes to show, the level of happiness and satisfaction it will bring to them if they are able to achieve their goals. The next question is, do you know what your partner’s aspirations are? If you don’t know, then ask your partner but if you do know, the next step is supporting. Love is a complex wor