A photograph can say more than a thousand words ever can. We put together a few of the most affecting photos we could find, taken in all corners of the world. There’s not a single one that will leave you feeling indifferent. They’re all so full of love, humour, kindness, suffering, beauty, courage — in short, all the things we encounter in this life.

When dreams come true

tesey.livejournal

Tenderness

pinterest

Love which defies description

pinterest

The march of generations

giornalettismo

Six generations in one photograph: from 111 years old to seven months.

Hello, world!

vk

Mothers are the same everywhere

pinterest

A parent’s level of patience is eternal…Almost

imgur

Do what your heart tells you, let everyone else think what they want

taringa

That’s a lot of happiness from just one tablet computer!

trending

The sweetest kiss in the world

Alain Laboile

Happy memories

parismatch

A man looks at the bench in a park where he used to sit with his beloved wife.

Undying devotion

moimir

A dog sits at the grave of its owner, who died in conflict.

The pain of loss

taringa

A man cries after finding a family album in the ruins of his house following an earthquake.

One good deed a day

buzzfeed

Two volunteer teachers give a free lesson to poor children in New Delhi, India

Meeting someone you never hoped to see

pinterest

A former prisoner of war returns home after the end of the Second World War. His daughter last saw him when she was just one year old.

Life’s challenges

amazingfacts

The struggle for survival

washingtonpost

A two-year-old boy, the son of refugees fleeing from conflict, is passed through a barbed wire fence to safety during the war in Kosovo.

A trial for the spirit

Associated Press

A 16-year-old girl resists the advance of dozens of policemen.

Charity

twitter

A firefighter gives a drink to a koala during a drought which caused huge forest fires in Australia, 2009.

Friends always show you which is the right road to take

slice

It doesn’t matter whose side you’re on

vk

Someone always needs your help

politiken

A man saves some puppies during flooding in the Philippines.

Empathy is more important than victory

haikudeck

She dreamed of this until she was 88

buzzfeed

This elderly couple got married 88 years ago, but at the time they had no wedding outfits, nor any photos taken. Finally, they were able to achieve their dream after all those decades together.

Our children will rise above us

blog.fotografium

The twilight of life

trinixy

A grandfather says goodbye to his grandson.