Your Wednesday Morning Dose of Positivity & Progress
Ash Wednesday & Ramadan Edition | Reading Time: 8 min | A sacred day begins ☕🕊️
☀️ GOOD MORNING, FAITHFUL FRIENDS!
Happy Ash Wednesday and Ramadan Mubarak! Today, 4.2 billion people across two great faith traditions simultaneously begin their most sacred seasons of reflection, fasting, and renewal. Meanwhile, in the Italian Alps, one of the greatest skiers in history just silenced eight years of Olympic demons with the most dominant performance of her career. And in Norway, a revolutionary invention 600 meters underwater promises to solve one of humanity’s most pressing challenges. Let’s get into it.
⛷️ THE BIG STORY: REDEMPTION ON THE SLOPES
Mikaela Shiffrin Wins Gold by 1.5 Seconds — Largest Margin Since 1998
THE HEADLINE: After eight years without an Olympic medal. After a devastating crash. After public criticism and social media attacks. After finishing 11th just days ago. Mikaela Shiffrin skied down that Cortina d’Ampezzo course today and reminded the world exactly who she is.
She won by 1.5 seconds. In Olympic alpine skiing, that’s not just a victory — it’s a statement.
How It Happened:
In her first run this morning, Shiffrin posted a time of 47.13 seconds — a stunning 0.82 seconds ahead of her nearest competitor, Germany’s Lena Duerr. It was the largest first-run advantage in an Olympic slalom since 1960.
Four hours later, she stood at the starting gate for her second and final run. Just before her turn, Lena Duerr — the skier in second place — clipped the very first gate and was instantly disqualified. That grim image could have rattled anyone. Shiffrin shrugged it off and skied with confidence straight to gold.
Her combined time: 1:39.10. Switzerland’s Camille Rast took silver (1.5 seconds behind), and Sweden’s Anna Swenn Larsson earned bronze (1.71 seconds back).
The Records She Just Set:
- Youngest and oldest U.S. woman to win Olympic gold in alpine skiing (won at 18 in 2014, now at 30)
- 12-year gap between individual gold medals in the same event — the largest in Winter Olympics history
- 1.5-second margin — the largest in any Olympic alpine skiing event since 1998
- Third career Olympic gold (slalom 2014, giant slalom 2018, slalom 2026)
- Fourth Olympic medal overall (add a silver from 2018)
The Backstory That Makes This So Powerful:
Eight years. That’s how long it had been since Mikaela Shiffrin won an Olympic medal. At Beijing 2022, she failed to finish in three events and didn’t medal at all. In November 2024, she crashed during a giant slalom in Killington, Vermont — a puncture wound in her side, crash-induced PTSD, months of recovery.
Then came these Games. In the team event, she skied tentatively and finished off the podium. Days later, in the giant slalom — an event she dominates on the World Cup circuit — she finished 11th.
The criticism poured in. Social media turned vicious. Her publicist wrote that she was “sick to [her] stomach” after reading headlines. One commentator noted: “Seven races aren’t a representation of an athlete’s entire journey. There’s so much more.”
Today, in her final Olympic race of Milano Cortina 2026, in her signature event — slalom, where she has won 71 of her record 108 World Cup victories — she delivered.
At the bottom of the hill, she sobbed beneath her goggles. Relief. Vindication. Redemption.
“The skiing is what I cared about and of course, medal and gold, I mean, that’s a dream come true,” Shiffrin told NBC.
Source: NBC News | Olympics.com | Yahoo Sports | TIME Magazine
“One race is not a representation of an athlete’s entire journey. Seven races aren’t either. There’s so much more, and the athletes deserve for their stories to be told more holistically.” — Megan Harrod, Shiffrin’s publicist
🥇 ANOTHER RECORD: JOHANNES KLÆBO WINS HIS 10TH GOLD
Norway’s Legend Now Most Decorated Winter Olympian in History
While the world watched Shiffrin’s redemption, Norway’s Johannes Høsflot Klæbo quietly made history of his own.
The 29-year-old cross-country skiing phenomenon won his fifth gold medal at Milano Cortina 2026 today (men’s cross-country team sprint free, time: 18:28.9), bringing his career total to 10 Olympic gold medals.
The Numbers:
- 10 Olympic golds (Winter Games record, tied)
- 5 golds at Milano Cortina 2026 alone
- 13 total Olympic medals across his career
- Most decorated male cross-country skier of all time
Klæbo is now tied for the most gold medals by any Winter Olympian in history. His dominance at a single Games (5 golds) puts him in elite company.
Source: CNN Olympics | NBC Olympics
“Champions aren’t made in gyms. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them — a desire, a dream, a vision.” — Muhammad Ali
🏅 MEDAL COUNT UPDATE (Day 12 — Wednesday, Feb. 18)
Where Things Stand
Top 10 Nations after Wednesday’s events:
| Nation | 🥇 Gold | 🥈 Silver | 🥉 Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🇳🇴 Norway | 15 | 7 | 9 | 31 |
| 🇮🇹 Italy (Host) | 8 | 5 | 11 | 24 |
| 🇺🇸 USA | 7 | 10 | 5 | 22 |
| 🇳🇱 Netherlands | 6 | 5 | 1 | 12 |
| 🇦🇹 Austria | 5 | 7 | 4 | 16 |
| 🇸🇪 Sweden | 5 | 5 | 2 | 12 |
| 🇩🇪 Germany | 5 | 7 | 9 | 21 |
| 🇫🇷 France | 4 | 7 | 4 | 15 |
| 🇯🇵 Japan | 4 | 5 | 9 | 18 |
| 🇧🇷 Brazil | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
Team USA’s Latest Medals:
The U.S. added Mikaela Shiffrin’s gold in women’s slalom today, bringing Team USA to 22 total medals. Norway continues to dominate, on track to become the first nation in 20 years to lead the medal count at three consecutive Winter Olympics.
Wednesday’s Other Medal Winners:
- 🇸🇪 Sweden won gold in women’s cross-country team sprint
- 🇨🇳 China’s Su Yiming won gold in men’s snowboard slopestyle
- 🇩🇪 Germany swept two-man bobsled (all three medals)
Today’s Remaining Events (Wednesday, Feb. 18):
- Figure skating (women’s free skate)
- Curling semifinals
- Nordic combined
- More cross-country skiing
Tomorrow’s Marquee Event: 🏒 USA vs. CANADA — Women’s Hockey Gold Medal Game (Thursday, Feb. 20)
Source: NBC Olympics | Olympics.com | CBS Sports
✝️ ☪️ TODAY: ASH WEDNESDAY & RAMADAN BEGIN
4.2 Billion People Enter Sacred Seasons Simultaneously
Today marks an extraordinary moment of global spiritual reflection. Two of the world’s great faith traditions — Christianity and Islam — begin their most sacred seasons on the same day, a rare convergence that won’t happen again for years.
Ash Wednesday / Lent:
For approximately 2.4 billion Christians worldwide, today begins Lent — a 40-day season of reflection, fasting, and preparation for Easter. Many Christians will receive ashes on their foreheads today in the shape of a cross, a visible reminder of mortality and repentance.
The traditional words spoken during the Imposition of Ashes: “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”
Lent ends on April 3 (Holy Thursday) with Easter Sunday on April 5, 2026.
Ramadan:
Tonight, upon the sighting of the crescent moon, approximately 1.8 billion Muslims worldwide begin Ramadan — the holy month of fasting from dawn to dusk, increased prayer, Quran recitation, and acts of charity.
During Ramadan, Muslims abstain from food and drink during daylight hours, breaking their fast each evening with iftar meals shared with family and community. The month culminates in Eid al-Fitr, one of Islam’s most joyous celebrations.
What This Convergence Means:
Both traditions center on themes of renewal, gratitude, sacrifice, self-discipline, and community. That 4.2 billion people from two different faiths are simultaneously entering periods of reflection and fasting is a profound reminder of what unites humanity across continents, cultures, and centuries.
In a world often divided, today reminds us that the human spirit reaches for the same light.
Source: Religion Media Centre | The Methodist Church
“In a gentle way, you can shake the world.” — Mahatma Gandhi
“God loves you unconditionally, no strings attached. That’s the good news.” — Methodist Daily Reading, Ash Wednesday 2026
💧 NORWAY’S UNDERWATER INVENTION COULD SOLVE WATER CRISIS
Submerged Desalination Plant Uses Ocean Pressure to Make Fresh Water
While the world watches Olympic athletes compete in Norway’s neighboring Italy, back home in Norway, an invention 600 meters below the North Sea is preparing to answer one of the century’s toughest questions: How do we provide fresh water to billions facing chronic shortages?
What It Is:
Off the coast of Mongstad, on Norway’s west coast, an industrial capsule called Flocean One is being readied for deployment at 300 to 600 meters below sea level. From the surface, nothing dramatic will appear. No massive concrete buildings. No endless pipes along the shoreline.
Yet inside this submerged unit, seawater will be turned into drinking water using a twist on reverse osmosis — powered by the ocean’s own natural pressure.
Why This Matters:
Traditional desalination plants are expensive, energy-intensive, and environmentally problematic. By using the ocean’s pressure at depth (equivalent to 30-60 atmospheres), Flocean One can produce fresh water more cheaply and with a smaller environmental footprint.
As countries worldwide brace for chronic water shortages due to climate change and population growth, this Norwegian innovation could be a game-changer.
The first good news of 2026 might just be happening 600 meters underwater, quietly preparing to quench the world’s thirst.
Source: Vetromebel
“We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children.” — Native American Proverb
📅 TODAY’S SPECIAL OBSERVANCES
February 18, 2026
✝️ Ash Wednesday — The beginning of Lent for 2.4 billion Christians worldwide. 40 days of reflection, fasting, and preparation for Easter.
☪️ Ramadan Begins — The holy month begins tonight for 1.8 billion Muslims worldwide upon sighting of the crescent moon.
💛 National Drink Wine Day — A day to appreciate and enjoy wine responsibly (especially fitting during Fat Tuesday’s final hours before Lent!)
🌍 National Battery Day — Celebrating the invention that powers our modern world, from phones to electric cars to medical devices.
🦢 Pluto Day — Commemorating Clyde Tombaugh’s discovery of Pluto on February 18, 1930.
💭 THE PERSPECTIVE CORNER
What Today’s Stories Teach Us About Perseverance
Look at the threads:
Mikaela Shiffrin was attacked on social media, questioned by pundits, haunted by crashes and failures. She could have quit. She could have made excuses. Instead, she showed up for one more race — and won by the largest margin in 28 years.
Johannes Klæbo keeps winning Olympic golds at age 29 when most athletes have retired. His 10th gold medal proves that sustained excellence over multiple Games is still possible if you refuse to accept that age is a limit.
4.2 billion people are entering sacred seasons dedicated to the belief that renewal is always possible. That we can start again. That reflection, fasting, and community make us better.
Norway’s underwater plant proves that the solutions to our biggest problems might be hiding in places we haven’t looked yet. Innovation happens when someone asks: “What if we tried something completely different?”
The lesson is simple: The world rewards those who show up even after failing. Especially after failing.
“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” — Winston Churchill
🎯 5 WAYS TO SPREAD GOOD NEWS TODAY
- Honor someone’s sacred season — Wish a Christian friend happy Ash Wednesday or a Muslim friend Ramadan Mubarak. Respect matters.
- Share Mikaela’s story — Someone in your life needs to hear “it’s not too late to try again.” Send them this.
- Watch women’s hockey tomorrow — USA vs. Canada for GOLD (Thursday, Feb. 20). Set a reminder. Show up for them.
- Support water innovation — Research and share stories about clean water access. 2 billion people lack safe drinking water.
- Try again at something you quit — Shiffrin could have walked away. She didn’t. What are you giving up on too soon?
💬 QUOTES WORTH SHARING
“The skiing is what I cared about and of course, medal and gold, I mean, that’s a dream come true.” — Mikaela Shiffrin
“One race is not a representation of an athlete’s entire journey. Seven races aren’t either. There’s so much more.” — Megan Harrod, Shiffrin’s publicist
“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” — Winston Churchill
“Champions aren’t made in gyms. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them — a desire, a dream, a vision.” — Muhammad Ali
“In a gentle way, you can shake the world.” — Mahatma Gandhi
“God loves you unconditionally, no strings attached. That’s the good news.” — Methodist Daily Reading
🔮 LOOKING AHEAD
Tomorrow (Thursday, Feb. 20):
- 🏒 USA vs. CANADA — Women’s Hockey Gold Medal Game (the rivalry everyone’s been waiting for)
- More Olympic medal events (figure skating finals, freestyle skiing)
- Day 2 of Ramadan, Day 2 of Lent
This Weekend:
- Closing Ceremony for Milano Cortina 2026 (Sunday, Feb. 22)
- Final Olympic medal events
- Continued observance of Lent and Ramadan
🌟 THE FINAL WORD
Wednesday, February 18, 2026, will be remembered as the day redemption met renewal.
Mikaela Shiffrin proved that eight years of Olympic heartbreak can end with 1.5 seconds of pure dominance. Johannes Klæbo reminded us that greatness isn’t a moment — it’s a decade of showing up. 4.2 billion people began sacred journeys rooted in the belief that we can always begin again. And 600 meters below the North Sea, an invention waits to help solve humanity’s water crisis.
Here’s what all of these stories have in common: None of them gave up when it got hard.
Shiffrin didn’t quit after Beijing. Klæbo didn’t retire after his first gold. Billions of people fast and pray because they believe transformation is possible. Norwegian engineers built a desalination plant underwater because traditional methods weren’t good enough.
The world belongs to those who try one more time.
Go be the good news someone else needs today. 🕊️⛷️💚
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💚 That’s it for today’s Good Good!
Remember: The world rewards those who show up even after failing.
Happy Ash Wednesday. Ramadan Mubarak. Keep showing up. ✝️☪️⛷️
Published by: All Good Things That Happened
Mission: Spreading good news, one story at a time
Date: Wednesday, February 18, 2026
Share the redemption. Share the good. 🌍❤️
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