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
This man really wanted two sons…so they kept trying until they got there!
Tenderness
Love which defies description
The march of generations
Six generations in one photograph: from 111 years old to seven months.
Hello, world!
Mothers are the same everywhere
A parent’s level of patience is eternal…Almost
Do what your heart tells you, let everyone else think what they want
That’s a lot of happiness from just one tablet computer!
The sweetest kiss in the world
Happy memories
A man looks at the bench in a park where he used to sit with his beloved wife.
Undying devotion
A dog sits at the grave of its owner, who died in conflict.
The pain of loss
A man cries after finding a family album in the ruins of his house following an earthquake.
One good deed a day
Two volunteer teachers give a free lesson to poor children in New Delhi, India
Meeting someone you never hoped to see
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
The struggle for survival
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
A 16-year-old girl resists the advance of dozens of policemen.
Charity
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
It doesn’t matter whose side you’re on
Someone always needs your help
A man saves some puppies during flooding in the Philippines.
Empathy is more important than victory
She dreamed of this until she was 88
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
The twilight of life
A grandfather says goodbye to his grandson.
