Uncommon lives are all around us. Our commonplace worlds are filled with them, tales of struggles, triumphs, and gestures—large and small—that have left our world a better place. Though uncommon in their intensity, their presence should come as no surprise. It is, after all, the way we are made. The human spirit is vital and tends toward the good. When it goes wrong, we recognize this as a failure. Love, compassion, giving, play—these attributes are what make us who we are. And those who love the most, who give the most, who know the life-changing value of play, are the people who inspire us to be our best selves. All too often, however, we don’t even know they are there, standing next to us in a shopping lane, sitting across from us on a bus or train. And their stories are simply amazing.