Here at Life is good, we are blown away and humbled by the amazing letters that arrive each day from people who have had powerful experiences that they would like to share with us. Some are funny and light, others are deeply meaningful stories from people facing life's inevitable challenges. This steady supply of inspiration keeps our engines running, and that's why we call it FUEL. We're happy to share these with you and hope that you can send us a note with your own story of optimistic inspiration.

-The Crew at Life is good.

Got your own story to share? Email us at FUEL@lifeisgood.com, join us on Facebook, or write to us at:
FUEL, Life is good
283 Newbury Street
Boston, MA 02115

Dear guys,

My family and I have been hooked on Life is good for many years and have celebrated many milestones by buying a LIG tee from the local shop or online. My son (now four) has all of his favorites, and to top it off, he sleeps with them in lieu of a blanket because they are so soft. He tucks himself into my husband's shirts (XL's) and by the end of the week has all eight of them in his bed. My best memories are of snuggling with him on a Saturday morning as he sleeps in one of his own LIG shirts.

We spread the awesomeness of your gear to my entire family; as our family grew so did your line of clothing which helped all of us to always have something new to send for a birthday or holiday.

My older sister and her husband (and son) are a military family (she in the Navy and he in the Marines) and have been for the better part of 15 years. They recently accepted their orders to Okinawa, Japan, and arrived there August 1st. It has been very hard for our family to be apart from them and not be able to communicate the way we are used to, but if you check out the attached photo, we were able to get some great memories from our summer vacation to Corolla, NC where everyone came in full Life is good garb....from towels to beach hats, t-shirts to frisbees, our mantra for the week was that regardless of where our lives took us, Life Is good for our extended family.

You have always been and always will be the common thread that we have with each other. Every time a new shirt comes out that reminds us of someone in the family, it is immediately purchased and sent to the appropriate member. Thank you for always thinking of our family (even if you aren't) when you create a new way to present Jake and the gang.

You are so much more than a t-shirt company; with our family thousands of miles away, all I have to do is check out our version of a family portrait and all is well with the world....you are so right, Life is good.

Thanks,
Kelly (Orange, "Start Me Up")

Attached is a picture of my best friend "Henry". He passed over to the rainbow bridge on August 3, 2009. How could I sum up the life of my wonderful yellow Labrador other than to say Life is good. Henry was not just any dog. He was an inspiration to everyone that he was around all his life. He could light up a room with his wonderful positive attitude. He loved life, loved people, and loved other dogs. Life was not easy for Henry as he suffered from epilepsy and had grand mal seizures frequently. He competed in agility until he was officially retired at age 10.

I am attaching a photo of Henry holding his favorite Life is good disc. I printed this photo and gave a copy to his veterinarian and it will hang proudly in his office. I have already received comments from folks about the priceless Life is good photo of him.

I began collecting donations for Henry for genetic research for Canine Epilepsy in 2007. In October 2009, I attended Labrador Nationals for the first time without Henry. I wanted to once again pay tribute to Henry. An agility jump was created from the attached photo. It was raffled at nationals along with a tote bag containing Life is good items donated by a friend. When a donation was collected, a Life is good sticker was donated back to the exhibitor. Despite rainy, cold conditions at the trial, $401 was collected in the raffle. Approximately $2,000 has been collected to date in Henry's honor with 100% of the proceeds going to Genetic Research for Canine Epilepsy.

Thank you Life is good company for continuing to inspire us. In the future, I shall wear a LIG item in every trial in honor of Henry to remember his enthusiasm for life.

In Memory of Henry....Life is good!

Martha

Dear Life is good Crew,

I want to thank you so much for honoring my request to donate shirts so that I could make my sister a quilt to use during her cancer treatments. I was amazed at the number of shirts in the box I received and how quickly you got them to me. I could not have picked more perfect shirts! I have enough material left over to make another small quilt to donate to the cancer center where my sister is receiving her treatments.

Not only will this quilt provide my sister with warmth and inspiration to fight through what will the most difficult time in her life, but it provided my mom and I quality shared time while we put this together.

I don't think I could thank you enough for your kindness and generosity.

Donna

Dear Life is good,
My wife and I have to thank you. It was nearly five years ago that I was at a social gathering and wearing one of your shirts — the white shirt with the American flag to be exact. That night a young woman noticed my shirt and we struck up a conversation. She told me that she had a Life is good shirt and we began to talk. We spent the rest of that night talking about ourselves, interests, and even Life is good.

Less than three years later, we were married. We ordered t-shirts and Nalgene bottles for our entire wedding party. We also received two "Just Married" Life is good shirts as wedding gifts. We are wearing them in the attached picture, taken on our honeymoon.

We are currently expecting our first child who is due in May. We decided to wait until the delivery to find out whether it will be a boy or girl, but we already have a Life is good "peanut" outfit and blanket ready and waiting that we bought.

We just wanted to send this letter to say thank you and to let you know that your products brought two people together for a lifetime.

Sincerely,
Ben and Jen

A couple of weeks ago I attended the 4 o'clock Mass. When it was time for Communion I noticed a father pushing a young boy in a high-tech wheelchair. It was one of those chairs that had all kinds of attachments to make the young boy comfortable. He had a breathing tube and I could only imagine the challenges that the child had. I find myself admiring parents who have a special needs child because I know how hard it is simply to be a parent to a child without a disability. I kept on watching them as I waited for the Communion line to move. The boy's father was rubbing his head, as proud as any father could be of a son. They were joined by the boy's mom and when the dad was done rubbing his head, she began caressing his head. You could see the loving touch that only a mother has.

When it was their turn to move towards the altar, the father turned toward me and I could see that he was wearing a sweatshirt with a big Life is good Snowman on the front with that silly grin and "Life is good" written beneath. I couldn't believe it! "Life is good?" I said to myself. "You have to be kidding me! When was the last time life was good for them?" I thought. I kept thinking this and the next thing I knew I began to slide down the wall I was leaning against until I found myself squatting on the floor. I stayed there for only a moment. I took a deep breath and stood up in time to see the family receive communion.

Then it all came to me! I was projecting what I thought their life was like, not how they experienced life. I truly believe that the dad wears that sweatshirt to let everyone know that their life is good no matter what others see. They have each other, they have their faith and the recognition that life is good. I go to church with the hopes of taking something with me to try to be a better person and, with a little help from a Life is good sweatshirt and a loving family, I did.

Gus

My name is Amanda. My husband and I have been Life is good fans for a very long time. I want to tell you about my Papaw, Leonard. My Papaw has been a hard working mechanic all his life. In every family photo, Papaw is usually wearing old faded jeans and some type of buttoned up work shirt.

Last year on a whim my husband and I bought Papaw a Life is good shirt for his birthday. We honestly thought that it would end up in the back of one of his drawers. To our surprise, my Mamaw told my mom that he loved the shirt and it was almost impossible to get it off of him to wash it! From that moment, he was hooked! Good bye buttoned up work shirts!!

2009 has been a very difficult year for my Papaw. He is the baby of 13 children. This year, he watched as his last living sibling, Virgil, died. My Papaw was there constantly for his brother, going with him to the grocery store, doctor's office, and emergency room. We live three hours away, and were not able to physically help. So my husband and I ordered several shirts and hats through the Life is good website and had them shipped directly to Papaw. We often had them gift wrapped, and he always said that it was just amazing. The gifts made him feel special.

We also bought Virgil a Life is good shirt in his final months because he always talked about how stylish Papaw was. The nurses told Virgil that he need to save his shirt to wear when he got to go home. Well, he did wear it home :) We buried him in the shirt and Life is good socks.

The shirt and hat that Papaw is wearing in the attached photo are our Christmas present to him. We were so worried we would not be able to go home for Christmas we ordered it from the website. It was delivered right on time, Christmas Eve!! We made it home on Christmas morning!

Throughout this difficult year, Papaw found smiles and laughs. We kid him and tell him that he finally figured out good fashion. He is a very simple man. He works hard. He loves his family and his Life is good clothes!

Thank you so much for all you do!
Amanda

Dear Life is good,

I saw your letters on the website and after reading a few, decided I had to write. I was first introduced to Life is good merchandise by my best friend Meredith several years ago. She loved to wear it because it was pretty much her motto, no matter what.

About 5 years ago, she was diagnosed with cancer. She endured surgeries, radiation, and the dreaded words, "There's nothing else we can do." But true to her spirit, she would not give up. Throughout homeopathic and experimental therapies, she would never complain or stop asserting that Life is good. She lived each day to its fullest, right up until the end.

I lost my best friend on March 4, 2009. However, whenever I wear my Life is good stuff or see it when I am out, it is like a little reminder of her beautiful smile, encouraging me every day to live it to its fullest.

Thank you for continuing to bring such a positive message into the world.
Beth

Dear Life is good,

I am a heart transplant recipient. I've received my new heart on May 11, 2007 and I am doing VERY well. As a member of the organ transplant community, a great many of us use the phrase "Life is good" in regard to the way we see things now that we've had a second chance at living.

My wife initially introduced me to your products about a year ago, when she bought me a Life is good baseball hat. I've been wearing it proudly since. In seeing your products, the red heart that is used on many items is significant to me, due to my heart transplant. So many of us transplant recipients have faced death, only to be given that ULTIMATE gift from a donor. The gift of life.

Please keep up the good work. Indeed, Life is good!!!

Sincerely,
Don

Hi,

My wife and I are big fans of the Life is good product line and the story of Bert and John. There are many reasons to feel overwhelmed these days...the abysmal economy, frail relations with other nations, etc. We personally have had much to deal with this past year and detailing these troubles would take too long. Just know that we've been on the brink of financial disaster due to several circumstances beyond our control. Its easy to get bitter...but we do our best not to with the simple reminders that Life is good offers.

We are reminded at this time of year that the simple pleasures of time with family and friends, having a roof over our head, and for us, playing frisbee with our dog are truly the jewels of life. Sure, its cliche...but it is a great truth and we all need to keep our focus on the fact that Life is good!

We're truly fortunate and this attached pic shines a light on it.

Cheers,
Steven

Hi,

My name is Cheryl and I want to tell you about my son Spencer. When Spencer was born, everything was spectacular! He was a beautiful baby and everything was going right for us! Being new moms, we were so proud to show him off to everyone! Around seven months of age, we began noticing that Spencer was a little different. He was not sitting up or beginning to crawl and get around. We had several tests and couldn't find anything "wrong" with him, so we just dealt with the symptoms by getting him physical, occupational, and speech therapies. He grew and developed, just at a slower pace than other kids his age.

At age 4, Spencer's Aunt Stephanie bought him a "Life is Good" T-shirt. It had a dog on it and "dog" was something he could say that others could understand. He wore it to school every day. He wore it so much that we figured we should buy him some other LIG shirts so people wouldn't accuse us of neglect! He still always chose the dog shirt. Spencer came to be known at his school as the "Life is good" boy!

One day Spencer came home from school and went to his room to put on his dog shirt. He returned and said, "I can read." Then, he pointed to his shirt and read "Life is good". I have never felt like that was a more truthful thing to say than in that moment! I will remember it for the rest of my life.

I have attached a memorable photo of Spencer. When he lost his front tooth, his little sister bought him your hockey player shirt with the missing tooth! It looks just like him! He even laughs at the "Have an ice day." Please consider Pittsburgh if you are looking for other cities to have Festivals. We'd be glad to have you!

Cheryl

Bert, John & Jake,

I love my Life is good shirts and wear them as a reminder of where my priorities in life should be. This past September I was diagnosed with Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis, a liver disease that affects my bile ducts. I had a 12 day stint in the hospital and everyday in the hospital, I wore one of my Life is good t-shirts. The picture below is me wearing my favorite T-Shirt. (I played a little baseball in college.)

This week, I have more tests and follow up appointments with my doctor. There is a chance that they will list me for a liver transplant and that I may be transplanted within the next couple of months (due to risk of cancer).

I have a website where I update my family and friends on my health condition. I am also able to write journal entries to let folks know how I'm doing mentally and spiritually. Here is what I wrote in an earlier journal entry from when I was still in the hospital:

"Those of you who know me and see me on the weekends will often notice I wear one of my "Life is good" t-shirts. For me, it's a personal reminder to always remember that no matter what the situation is or circumstances are, I should remember that Life is just that.....GOOD. This attitude and philosophy of life is what I think will help get me through this."

I'm in an interesting chapter in my life. I'm learning many life lessons through what I'm going through.

Your friend,
Kirk

Dear Life is good:

I have been a strong advocate of your work for years now and so has my husband John. I kept him supplied with Life is good shirts and other things over the years. I would discover some of your things in stores when I least expected them and was grateful so that I could see what I wanted to buy online not only for myself and my husband, but for the rest of my family who had become fans of your merchandise.

Two years ago my husband was stricken with pancreatic cancer in a big way. We were all over the United States visiting doctors and their affiliations with their hospitals. He underwent so many chemo and radiation therapies and all kinds of other treatments that I lost count. But he never failed to wear a Life is good shirt.

John succumbed to the disease April 7, 2009. When he passed away quietly at home, surrounding by his beloved wife and family, along with hospice nurses, he had on a pair of Life is good PJ's and a Life is good T-Shirt, and that is what he had asked to be put on him that day. He still thought that Life is good and he had had soooo many happy times when we wore our matching shirts and went to Harley Motorcycle rallies and rides and soon all the members started wearing Life is good.

My husband wore Life is good clothes under his beautiful suit as he had requested for his funeral. And I knew through talking with him over the long, long suffering months that what he wanted on his tombstone was LIFE IS GOOD at the very bottom in CAPS. It is a beautiful monument and everyone notices and comments on it and then cries. And so do I. It is a beautiful memory.

This Christmas, my journey is to furnish each member of my family — five generations now -- a Life is good T-shirt, and also my husband John's family. You have done a great job and I appreciate your work and the good material that you make your shirts with. I will continue to support you. Keep up the good work and keep our little Doggie on all the work. Thank you very, very much!

God bless you and all your staff,
Wayna

Hello Life is good,

My husband and I had always wanted children, but after many medical discoveries, that wasn't going to be an easy task. Through some medical assistance we were finally able to get pregnant. That happy news was one of the happiest days of my life. After carrying my baby boy for just about 9 months, I ended up in an emergency c-section and my baby did not survive. His name was to be Alex.

After months and months of grief and additional medical attempts to conceive, things were just not working out for us. We decided to turn to adoption, as I was adopted myself. In a short time we were matched with a birth mom across the country. We developed a strong relationship with her while she was pregnant and were then asked to be there for the delivery of the baby boy. Finally a happy ending...or even better, a happy beginning, I was the first person to hold our son at the hospital.

Jackson is now 2 1/2 and loving every moment of life. We are truly blessed to have him. Every time I see a Life is good store it makes me smile and think about just how "Good" my life is.

Thank you for representing that spirit of what we do have to be happy for!

Kelley

Hi Life is good,

In June, I contacted you regarding an idea I had about using a Life is good theme in our first child's nursery. I am an outdoor educator and have always loved your company's images and quotes. I thought what better thing to surround our baby girl with than the philosophy of outdoor recreation, fun, love and acceptance!

With your company's gracious donation of 18 used/damaged t-shirts and the summer off from leading trips in the wilderness (difficult to do while pregnant), I set to work on the "project." Of course, I recruited help from the family and soon it was everyone's project. My father, a talented carpenter, made the 3-1 crib out of rock maple. My mother-in-law turned the LIG t-shirts into bumpers for the crib and made matching sheets, a dust ruffle, and window valences to go with it all. I taught myself how to sew on the 1948 Singer sewing machine my grandmother left for me and made my first quilt with LIG t-shirts, matching pillows, and chair coverings. I painted Life is good images and quotes on canvases to hang in the baby's room.

A summer filled with a fun project and what I have termed "Storking" has kept me busy while I await our little one who is due within the month. Donna in customer service, thank you so much for helping me make this idea a reality. Another thank you to the Life is good company, (Jake and Rocket too) for providing images and quotes of a philosophy worthy of living by!

Jenna

Dear Life is good,

Our family has suffered numerous tragedies in the relatively recent past, starting with the loss of an 18-year old son (Cliff) in February 2005 in an auto accident, the loss of both of my wife's generous loving parents, her only sibling (her sister Janet), and several other family members within a very short period of time. Going to the hospital and funeral home became much too familiar and tiresome to us.

Coming to grips with all this grief has not been easy for my wife or for our family, and only through remaining family and extended family members, close friends, support groups, counseling, faith, our loving pets, and other such avenues, has my wife, myself, and the rest of our blended family been able to cope and go on with our lives.

We saw the Life is good logo one day some time ago and there was Rocket, the happy Life is good dog, on the items we were looking at — we have a Pug/Chihuahua mixed breed dog (Pasquale) that looks very much like Rocket, and Pasquale's biggest gift to our family is that he makes my wife smile each and every day, which is something that the rest of us cannot accomplish as easily. Seeing Rocket made us think of Pasquale and the joy and love he brings us in his own special way. And it made us think harder about what we had been going through — the Life is good motto has become a way for us to reconnect with life and to enjoy things even though some of those we love are no longer with us.

We have purchased many items of clothing, stickers, and coffee mugs with the Life is good logo on them because they help us to remember that although life isn't always easy, it IS good. We hope to never lose sight of that again, and we want others to know too.

It isn't always easy, we still hurt, and life is still throwing us "curveballs" now and then, but with a more positive attitude and Life is good and Jake and Rocket (and Pasquale) to help us along, we feel we might just be okay after all. Every time we see a Life Is Good store in our travels, we have to go inside and look around and soak up the atmosphere.

Thank you for helping to remind us that Life IS good!

Mike

When I met my husband we both loved hiking, the outdoors and Life is good. It seemed only appropriate when we decided to get married to hike to a remote location and get married wearing Life is good hats. Immediately after we were officially married, I snuck behind a rock and changed into my Life is good "Just Married" t-shirt, which I proudly wore out to my wedding dinner when we got back to civilization that night. Whenever I need a little boost of positive energy — all I have to do is look at Jake or put on one of my many t-shirts and I feel better. I've attached a picture — I hope you enjoy it.

Jill

Hi to the Folks at Life is good,

We've been fans of yours for a while now. We lost our oldest son, Jake, to leukemia in 2001, when he had just turned eight. We would try and put on a happy face for his little brother, Linc, but it was a horrible time.

We started seeing your t-shirts around town and talked about how important it was to try and enjoy life, to try and be happy no matter what. Then one day, my husband, Steve, found out that your character was named Jake. It was like getting a secret smile from our boy every time we saw one. We started seeing more of them, quite often, when we were down and needed a smile. I swear, our Jake started using your Jake to make us feel better.

Life goes on eight years later. Steve started running marathons as a fund raiser for the Leukemia Society. He keeps one of your coffee mugs at work to remind him of what's important. Jake's little brother is taller than me and an awesome swimmer. I found out I have hydrocephalus (water on the brain) and have my own challenges, but I'm still here.

Life is going to hand us challenges. The only thing we have control over is our attitude. Thank you for spreading your message. Thank you for helping us recover.

Take care,
Jenny

Dear Life is good folks,

My daughter turned 15 at the end of July and a special friend gave her a Life is good t-shirt as a gift. She liked it so much, she bought some of y'all's socks to match with some money she got for her b'day. Now everyone in our family is a fan!

School started for us on August 6. She is in 10th grade and A & P (Anatomy and Physiology) is probably going to be her most challenging class. She went into class having skimmed over her reading assignment yesterday (8/11) and was greeted by the teacher announcing "Get out a sheet of paper and put your books under your desk."

Uh oh...1st pop quiz of the year!! My daughter felt that sinking feeling, excuses racing through her mind of how she was going to explain this grade. As the teacher walked to the board, she explained to the students that she gives one question pop quizzes. Then she wrote on the board.... "Define life."

My daughter squirmed and thought and then figured she could either go to all the extra effort to unsuccessfully fool the teacher and write a page fully defining the fact that she had not studied, or she could really, honestly tell the teacher what she knew.

She wrote: "Life is........good."
She received a 100 on the quiz..... and a smiley face.:)

Thanks for providing the tutorial service!
Sincerely,
Lea

Dear Life is good,

My daughter Olivia turned 10 this year. To celebrate, we agreed that we would do something different,a more altruistic spin on her big two-digit birthday...and turn it into a better cause. In lieu of birthday gifts, she asked her friends to bring non-perishables for the New Hampshire Food Bank and to do some community service.

I purchased matching T-shirts to support your Life Is good Kids Foundation (thank you by the way for taking the money I spent and investing it in kids!) and we all gave some community time for the area's hungry, handing out donations to them on a very hot and humid day, as well as collecting donations for the NH Food Bank, which are greatly needed right now.

It made quite an impact on the kids to see the faces and to know what a huge difference kids can make. I treated my volunteer girls to lunch and cake afterwards, and I do believe they developed a much deeper appreciation for what they have after their experience earlier that day. I also believe that their LIG Kids Foundation T-shirts made them extra motivated!!

Thanks again.

Martha
Manchester, NH

Dear Life is good,

My wife and I are writing in regard to our nine-month old son Kyle and our 11 year old dog Dawson. By six months old our son was fitted with a helmet to correct his head shape that he has to wear 23 hours a day. Needless to say the immediate impact is one of concern as a new parent seeing a young baby wearing the device. However, Kyle just got on with it and never seemed to fuss too much. After visiting the Life is good store in Town Center Mall, Boca Raton, we got a couple of Life is good stickers to put on the helmet. We wanted to decorate it with a positive attitude and to reflect on our son's demeanor and help us see past the helmet. Coupled with this we recently suddenly lost our 11 year old Weimaraner, Dawson. Kyle and Dawson were best buddies and used to play together, with Kyle often looking for Dawson whenever he heard him coming or shaking. My wife and I have been able to get through this tough period with a smile whenever we see Kyle with his Life is good stickers, as that statement alone really says it all. When we reflect back on Dawson's 11 wonderful years and the future that Kyle has ahead of him we cannot help but smile as Life Really Is Good!

Thanks to your brand for helping us through the challenges that have been sent our way and allowing us to see the big picture! Keep up the good work you are bringing to families like ours.

Regards,
Matthew

JUST A PERSONAL NOTE in the Life is good...Life is Fine...Life is Precious Department.

Yesterday afternoon on Lisa's 25th Birthday shortly before 3 pm I received a phone call from her that on her way home from Las Vegas she rolled her car. The accident happened about 30 miles north of Tonopah. She braked and swerved to miss a critter--species unknown. The accident scene revealed that the wheel caught a side road bump, the car turned, caused it to roll door-to-door-wise once before going airborne for a second full air turn, and then landed on its side to roll two more times before coming to a stop. All windows were busted out except the front windshield somehow, and a small side window with a Nevada Wolfpack sticker.

The 2002 Daewoo is totaled in a fashion that makes the word seem a complete understatement, except for the interior sanctuary that protected all that is precious. So you can see, the BEST news is the call was from Lisa and not a Nevada Highway Patrol person (although I really appreciate the help I got from them also). She met many new friends yesterday who stopped in the fog of dust to help her; I met many new friends yesterday as they called and I called back and spoke to all I could reach who helped her. To all who were there that I don't have a number for, I thank you too.

From the moment of the initial call, I walked out of the office, picked up Jan and we drove to Hawthorne where a nice couple who had stopped at the scene had picked her up with all her things, interrupted their vacation weekend, changed directions and drove her to us. With mere seat belt burn scrape marks seared into her shoulder and a few minor shard glass scratches, she is fine; she and her two dogs have quite a story to tell. Whoever luck favors, she is now counted among them. Today, in my little world, that makes me the most thankful person on the face of the earth. All else pales in comparison.

Things I've been re-reminded of from this incident:

1) Tell your kids you love them every chance you get.
2) Physical things are replaceable, your kids are not.
3) Today is the best day of the rest of your life, make the most of it.
4) Be Happy, Be Thankful, Be Optimistic.

And that is what I view as my "Life is good...Life is Fine...Life is Precious" comment this morning.

Thanks for being friends.

Ed

Hello Life is good folks,

One of the friends that I visited while I was up in Alberta, Canada is a vibrant 36 year old triathlete who has done countless triathlons including a couple of Penticton Ironman Triathlons as well. Well, three weeks ago she had a massive stroke. It has affected her quite a bit BUT she is such an amazing young lady and is making awesome strides on the road to recovery. The best part is her incredible smile.

I was just so tickled to have my own Life is good t-shirt that I wanted to get her one too. I want her to have all of the positive reinforcement she can get. So, I found a long sleeve t-shirt with "Life is good" and a heart on it, and I thought that was perfect because life is good with her still in it and we all love her so much. I had a friend drop it off to the hospital for her to wear while she recovers and gets back to the girl we know.

Thanks so much,
Rebecca

Dear Bert and John, [founders of Life is good]

My name is Alex. I have a brother Nicky and we are ten. We both have some extra challenges in the world but at the end of the day we still have each other. When I was born I had to have my leg amputated. Nicky doesn't see so well since he is legally blind. We were both born early and weighed a pound so we have a lot of work to grow and get better.

I wanted to give your our picture with our best Jake smile. Me and Nicky have all of your shirts with the things we like doing best, but if you asked us what we do best and what makes us happy and laugh most, it is being together just doing nothing. If you ever decide to make a shirt with two brothers can you send us one?

You must have a lot but what my mom says is we're lucky and life is good because we will always have each other. You're lucky to have a brother too. I hope you do fun things together!

Your friends,
Alex and Nick

Dear Life is Good,

I have been working either as a US service member or a government contractor in Iraq, Afghanistan and several other less fortunate countries for the past several years. Life is difficult here and any taste of home is welcome, so I bring a LIG ball cap and T-shirts to all of these places to remind me of home. I came across your ball caps several years ago and I love your motto of "Life is good." It is important to keep this in mind when you are around poor conditions and constant danger.

Recently I had the chance to climb a mountain outside of Kabul, Afghanistan called "The Ghar." It is a trekable mountain that the service members use for a moment of recreation. At the top I was able to snap some pictures and have enclosed them in this e-mail. As a gesture, and paying forward the positive attitude of "Life is good" I give all of the interpreters that have been assigned to me a LIG hat and T-shirt...they love your stuff. Thank you so much for starting your company and helping us keep a positive mental attitude.

Respectfully,

Joseph
Kabul, Afghanistan

Dear All at Life is good,
Attached you will find a photograph of my most adorable 2-year old niece, Kaylee. Kaylee was born with cataracts in both eyes which impaired her vision. In the past 6 months she has undergone 8 operations while undergoing lens replacements in both eyes. As you can see from the photograph she now wears bifocal spectacles. Fortunately it appears as if her vision is good. She is the happiest, most contented, tough and brave little soul you will ever find.

I am a huge supporter of your Life is good brand and have been since first discovering it around 2000. Another interesting part of this story is that I live in South Africa which is a good many thousand miles away from the USA. Every friend that I have who visits the USA gets issued with a shopping list before leaving and this is how I "import" my Life is good gear. I am the truly proud owner of countless t-shirts, cotton shirts and caps, and have passed on gifts of Life is good articles to family and friends. Hence Kaylee is also a proud wearer of a Life is Good cap, amongst other items of clothing. Isn't the photograph a winner?

Please never stop producing your awesome range of Life is good articles.

From an ardent, far-away supporter,

Zani
Port Elizabeth, South Africa

Dear Life is good,
My son Jake started wearing your shirts when he was in 6th grade (1999?) This was even before you publicized the name of your character as being "Jake." He never goes out in public without wearing a Life is good shirt (unless of course, he has to dress up for some reason!) He has made "Life is good" his personal mantra and we were happy to buy him LIG shirts to support his positive outlook on life. It also made it very easy to shop for him!

He is 21 now and just graduated from college, and he is still wearing your shirts exclusively. As he would wear out his old tee shirts I packed them away in a box of "retired" shirts. I swore that one day I would do something with them. I had seen an idea for a tee shirt quilt and had originally planned to try to give him one as a present when he graduated from high school. Running a little behind schedule... I finally got it done for his college graduation! Since I am not much of a seamstress, I prepared all the shirts by cutting them to size and backing them with interfacing. Then I turned them over to a professional who assembled them into the final quilt. Needless to say, he loved his gift, and as he said... it was like giving him back so much of his childhood, all in one gift. I hope you will notice that his original LIG shirt (a child's size) holds the place of honor in the middle of the quilt... right next to your old graduation shirt that he wore in his senior picture when he graduated from high school! Of course, there were many other shirts that didn't make it to the quilt, but the 35 shirts here are a pretty good sampling, and of course, are all different!

I want to personally thank Life is good for giving my son a visible outlet to express his love of life. I strongly suggest that this type of quilt might be the best kind of recycling for old tee shirts! Thanks for a lot of good years and a lot of good memories. I have attached a picture of the quilt and of Jake!

Cindy

Hi there:

My husband lost his Life is Good wallet a week ago and we have looked everywhere for it since then. He was at home with our children the last time he saw it. Today I found a new box of wet wipes in the kitchen trash can (courtesy of our 2 year old) and told David and we decided maybe our son had thrown his wallet away also. We had not put out the trash to be picked up last week so we had 2 LARGE dumpsters full of trash. We had to emptied the first one.... no wallet. The second one was packed to the top with rose bush thorns, and leaves and stuff cleaned out of the flower beds. At the very bottom of that can there was one bag with his wallet in it with some chocolate cookie smashed on it (also courtesy of the two year old)! I was just going to send the picture which would have spared you these thousand words but anyway I wanted you to know how much my husband loves his "Life is Good" wallet - enough to dig through two dumpsters for it! I'll send you the pics!??

Here is my husband after digging through two dumpsters to find his Life is Good wallet!
Just a little worse for the wear, thanks to our two year old!

Gail

Hi there:

I am writing to tell you about my husband Dan.

A couple of years ago I purchased one of your t-shirts for him of Jake on a motorcycle.

Since then Dan has collected everything that he can possibly have to celebrate the fact that our own Life is good.

Attached is a tattoo that he had put on his arm last year to celebrate what he now calls his "brand".

For his birthday last year when he turned 54 years old, I purchased him a large Life is good flag that flies outside of our home, proudly being seen by all who drive by our southern Ontario home on Lake Huron.

I truly believe that the essence of your business will enable people to think positively about all that is good in their lives and that we have to be thankful for.

Every single day that my husband wakes up, life is good for him as he is truly the most positive, resilient, energetic, resourceful and overall "git ‘er done" sort of person that I have ever met.

It is a pleasure to have him in my life, as well as in the lives of our five children, our respective extended family, and now a legacy that we can pass onto our grandchildren.

On Good Friday our son and I were in Boston walking down Newbury Street and we of course had to stop into your shop to purchase two more Life is good t-shirts for Dan as well as a hat. Little did I know that this business started in Boston. The sales lady that waited on us told us about this web site, and I really hope that you can publish our story — it would thrill my dad.

Life is good!

Thanks so much,

Michelle (Dan's wife)

Dear Folks at Life Is Good,

Some years ago, I bought my husband his first Life Is good shirt — a tee with Rocket and Jake running on the beach. I was lured towards the display because Rocket looked a lot like our dog, Aslan.

Over the years, we've collected additional Life is Good shirts and hats — always with Rocket because Aslan was our own Rocket. He would go hiking and geocaching with us. He loved car rides and digging up the yard. And Frisbee — he LOVED Frisbee.

Sadly, we recently lost Aslan to a serious illness that struck out of the blue. But he lived the last days of his life as he did all the rest — at full speed.

Your motto "Do what you like. Like what you do." is how Aslan lived his life. He enjoyed every moment of every day. Over the 10 years Aslan shared his life with us, his attitude reminded us to enjoy the simple things in life. It was such a joy to watch him hiking — living in the moment of each new scent he caught. So often it is easy for people to get wrapped up in the craziness of life — dogs don't. Aslan saw it as his job to remind us that Life Is Good.

Even with the sadness of losing Aslan, we are comforted by his attitude toward life. He wouldn't dwell on the past; he'd be running ahead, eager to see what is around the next bend in the trail.

And so, we forge ahead on the trail of life, no longer
with Aslan, but with Rocket reminding us that Life Is Good.
And it is.

Anne

Second marriages tend to throw tradition to the wind, so we did. On the way to the rehearsal with wedding to follow 2 hours later we are all smiles. Bride, Groom and Best Man (future step-son) cruising to Chapel Hill listening to "Going to the Chapel and We're Gonna Get Married" and Crash, Boom, Bang and we have been hit and we are at a complete stop.

To spare all of the details, we suffered minimal injuries and got married on that day in September as planned, but my new husband was humored when I said, "My Life is good sticker was damaged in the wreck!" He promised, as he had done a lot that day, to purchase a new sticker for the new bumper and his new wife!

I am riding once again with Jake in tow:)

Lee and Lee Ann, happy together in NC!

To the loverly folks at Life Is Good,

Off and on for the past few years I have been very ill. No matter what the doctors said and did, I never felt any better. I was beginning to feel like I was crazy and even some people around me thought that I was. Recently though, I was able to get a diagnosis that actually made complete sense. I was diagnosed with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus along with Raynaud's Disease. Both are auto-immune diseases and lupus can seriously impact your overall health. It has already ravaged some part of my body which I am hoping to get repaired in the near future, if insurance covers it.

The reason why I am writing to you is because I have one of your tattered graphic chill hats. I wear it every time I go outside because going out in the sun unprotected can cause me to have a flare. It's the only hat I have found that fits comfortably on my head and the fabric doesn't irritate my skin. I wear the hat so much that it has become part of me. The other week when I was in the hospital I actually missed having my hat on my head. Some of my friends thought it was weird seeing me without it.

Life is good though. Despite the fact that I do have a chronic illness that could one day disable me, life is good. Life is good because I'm responding well to treatment. Life is good because I have a team of doctors who care about not only my health, but me as a person. Life is good because I have my family and friends who are supporting me. Life is good because your hat helps to keep me from getting sick whenever I go outside!

Thank you for your amazing company and values!

Peace,
Erika

Dear Friends at Life is Good:

My big, red chrome cloaked truck was stolen.

I'll spare all the details, but to say it was devastating. It was the first brand spankin' new ride I had owned in more than 20 years -- and my first action was to stick a Life is Good sticker in the rear window.

The day after it was stolen, I was sitting in traffic in my rental, still ouching and frustrated by this invasion of security. You can imagine my surprise when I looked up -- right into the face of guitar playing Jake...my sticker!

Sure, the license plate had been changed, a wheel cover was missing -- but I also knew that MY truck was the only I had seen with Jake in the rear window.

I followed the culprit for more than 20 blocks before he saw me and sped away.

The next morning, the truck was recovered, with a few scuffs, missing wheel covers and all of my personal property gone...but it was spotted by an officer who recognized my lone unique identifier:

My Life is Good sticker.

There is nothing good about going through this experience. But your optimistic message helps the healing -- and helps, apparently, find stolen property!

Cheers,
Tim
Savannah GA

Hello,

I'd like to share some pictures and a quick story about my daughter, Maggie. About 2 months ago Maggie was diagnosed with a condition called plagiocephaly (simply put, a misshaped head). To correct the condition she was fitted with a helmet that she has to wear 23 hours a day for several months. Needless to say, a 9 month old baby in a helmet can draw some curious and awkward stares.

To help communicate to the world that our daughter is a happy, joyful, healthy child we stopped in at the Life is good store in Delray Beach, Florida and picked up a few Life is good stickers to adorn the helmet with.

What a difference they have made! Many folks have comment on how much they like Maggie's stickers and it's really been a great ice-breaker to help folks (and my wife and I) breach the sometimes uncomfortable subject of why she has to wear a helmet. Maggie is now 11 months old. Her head shape is improving every day and we anticipate that she'll be helmet free in the next 2-3 months.

Thank you for your wonderful brand and message,
Pete, Stephanie & Maggie

Dear Bert and John:

"Uno. Dos. Jale! Uno. Dos. Jale!" On each "Jale!!" we each gripped our tree branches, braced ourselves, and pulled with all of our strength, slowly inching our boat bargeman-style upstream along the riverbank. The force of the rain-swollen waters of the Madre de Dios river (Mother of God! in Spanish, and it must be said always with an exclamation point) were pressing against the side of our little launch, teasing us with a threat of either tipping us, or washing us back down the river.

Where was I? And how did I end up so screwed? And why am I telling you about this? Because your Life is Good ultimate disc saved my life, or at least saved the day. I am a researcher working in the Amazon forests of Bolivia in villages along the riverbanks of one of the major tributaries to the Amazon River. Transportation is always creative, involving boats, dugout canoes, barges, motorcycles, and anything that can get paid to move. That day, my research partner and I were on our way upriver when our boat motor conked out, leaving us to drift dangerously in the flood-swift current without paddles. We saw a house on the other bank, and so desperately we stripped the boat of boards and tried using them to paddle to the opposite bank. But the force of the current was too great and swept us on the opposite site of a large island in the middle of the river.

With determination, a big bag of coca, and as much upper arm strength as we could gather, she and I pulled the boat with tree branches up against the current. One hour later, we made it to the upstream tip of the island, within view of the house.

We shouted, we fired a pistol, we hollered again, but their tractor drowned out all of the noise. So that's when I grabbed my Life is Good neon orange disc and started waving it high above my head. In my line of work there are always a few free moments to toss it around with the village kids or start a pickup game of ultimate, and so I had made a habit of slipping it into my backpack for each trip. Usually it the first time that anyone has ever seen an ultimate frisbee, much less played, and everyone learns fast.

But this time I found that there are many more uses for a bright orange disc; the owner of the house saw a tiny orange dot in the distance, and pulled his boat out to see what it was. Saved!! They fed us and housed for the two days it took to find another boat to head up river.

So, Life is Good, thank you. Thank you from a hundred Bolivian village kids who have learned how to play ultimate, and from two researchers who will never forget to take it along.

Sincerely,
Kristen and Patricia

Salutations,

I wanted to drop a sincere note of applause for your product & message!

I am a legally blind runner losing my eyesight to a condition called Retinitis Pigmentosa. About 3 years ago when I began considering marathons, I became blessed by the mentorship of a cancer-survivor friend who took me under his wing in training. As it happened, he had been using "Life is good" as a personal mantra, and his positive outlook & stubborn optimism were unquestionably infectious.

Now 4 marathons later (including 2 Bostons), my eyesight continues to fade — but my optimism never does. In August, my wife delivered our 2nd child, another baby girl, equally beautiful to her 3yrs older sister. I still have enough useful vision to see them both, and you can't beat that - LIFE IS GOOD!

Thanks for the opportunity to share,
Erich

Hi,

I just wanted you guys to know that I very much appreciate your brand and that it has special meaning to me. In August 2005, my daughter and I were attacked by a Grizzly bear in Glacier National Park. It was a pretty harrowing experience and a lot has been written about it. Just wanted to let you know that I have been wearing several of your shirts a lot since then and have been featured with your shirt on in several publications. You deserve the free publicity since I like the positive message of your clothing (and it fits great).

In February I will received a courage award through the LA marathon and I had a shirt of yours on during the videotaping for the NBC news and the reporter commented on how appropriate your theme is for how I am currently doing. Indeed, Life is good. Thanks for your product and I will probably run the Boston marathon next April at which time I will buy some more items in your store on Newbury Street again.

I attached 2 pictures, one the first time I was back on the Grinnell trail. They used this shot in Seattle Metropolitan and the second from this summer when Jenna and I finally finished the second trail we had planned to do that day. This was also the first time for her hiking again. Love your brand and they are selling it all over Glacier!

Thanks,
Johan

I lost my leg when I was four years old in a lawn mower accident. This past month I had a new leg made and wanted a cool design because I knew I would be wearing this everyday for about 2-3 years. I took one of your shirts and had it laminated onto the socket of my prosthesis. I have attached two pictures: one of the front with the golfer and the "Be the ball", and the back view with Jake and the "Life is good" slogan. The slogan personifies my attitude towards my situation, an attitude that anyone can see as I walk away and they read, "Life is good".

If you would learn more about turning "Life is good" t-shirts into prosthetics let me know.

Jeremiah

Hi,

Saturday, January 12, 2008
Two years ago, my brother bought about 12 Life is good stickers and put them in Christmas cards to all of us "from Mom." She had dementia and was in assisted living.

On Christmas Day, I realized that she was truly dying. On the 26th, I called you and ordered 200 stickers to give out at her funeral, whenever that was going to be.

She died early on Thursday morning, January 3, and on that Friday, I called you and told you that she had died, and that the funeral would be on Monday the 7th, and the stickers had not arrived…You said that you had sent them by USPS, and they should have arrived by then, but you cannot trace USPS mailings, sorry. We thought: que sera, sera.

Fifteen minutes later, Kim (I think. I was kind of weird and hazy by then) called back and said she had sent another 200 stickers by UPS next morning delivery. I thanked her, and it was hours later that I realized that she had said nothing about extra charges or anything.

On Saturday at 5 pm we got the USPS delivery, and on Monday (The Day) at 9:10 am, we got the second delivery!!

We passed them out as people were leaving the service. It was awesome!!!

I have told at least 50 people this story, and I cry most times. This is so rare for a business to act this way in this day and age. You have many fans for life. The check to your Life is good Kids Foundation is our thank you to you.

Fan for Life,
Andy

Greetings and Salutations,

First let me ‘splain that I was not born an optimist. Far from it. In fact, when I held up my "Life is good" mug today, someone who has known me for years naturally finished the statement he expected from me with "Then you die." And it's true, I was always of the "Life sucks, then you die."

But I've been on a mission to replace my negativity with positivity. To cut out the destructive thoughts and replace them with constructive thoughts. To become a born-again optimist. For me this has been an uphill journey.

I was at Dick's Sporting Goods last night shopping for shoes. It was late and my Memorial Day had not been the epitome of rest and relaxation. Suffice it to say that by the time I got to my shoe shopping, I was not in the best of moods. When I walked into the store, there was a display of sunny yellow mugs that read "Life is good." I pondered them for a moment, decided I shouldn't be spending $10 on yet another mug, and proceeded to try on running shoes. But "Life is good" just stuck with me.

On my way back, I spent some time in the section of the store dedicated to your merchandise and ended up leaving with two shirts, a mug and a hat. I've been showing them to everyone today and smiling just to look at them. And why? Because LIFE IS GOOD!

Last night, in my not-so-good mood, I needed something to remind me of that. And there was your sunny yellow mug to remind me.

I can't really express with words how moved I was by that. But I found you just at the moment I needed something to snap me out of the blue funk that was about to have its way with me. So I thank you.

~Amanda from Illinois

Hi,

I am writing you today to tell you about a person who embodies LIFE IS GOOD! The principal of our school came to us five years ago from another building where she was a special needs teacher. She has made our building a place where students, parents and staff feel welcome and look forward to coming to each day.

This year Boss's week (day) fell during our MEAP test. Our state's standardized test for students in grades 3-12. Our third grades where treated to special attention starting at a school wide assembly and then through out the week. Students received notes of encouragement special snacks and even an outdoor party with smores' and games. The students were disappointed today when they took the last section of the test. Students spoke all week about how they looked forward to the test and the special events surrounding it.

The staff spent the week coming up with fun ways to celebrate boss's week and make her life better. One class made Jake masks and visited her in her office, others wrote to her about how she made life at Frostick School good. Teachers added to a huge poster listing why they felt life was good here.

Julie Western works tirelessly to make life good for our Frostick Family of students, parents and staff members. Despite budget cuts and state expectations, she never gets down and always has encouragement for a student who needs it. She is always talking about getting outside with her friends and family. We have all heard about her cabin in the upper peninsula of Michigan and how much she loves to be there.

I think what really made me write this is the way that her enthusiasm has spread through out our school. Like it says on the back of her Jeep, Life is good, and she is one reason that it is true.

Jeffrey
Frostick School

This is a story of the year my wife and I fought and lost to Multiple Myeloma.

It started March 6, 2006 the day we learned that the pain she was experiencing was due to a disease known as Multiple Myeloma. A cancer that affects the bones! My wife said to me and others when she found out that this was not the path we wanted to take but it will be the journey we are chosen to be on. During the year+ journey we had to go to a clinic every day. Because of the port and IVs that Peggy had she needed some type of clothing that she could be comfortable in and still be able to handle the treatment. The one Tee shirt she had was a Life is good shirt and that one was worn many times that first week. I would return home for the hospital and wash it and give it to her the next day.

You have to understand that Peggy was a great dresser and a very proud person. She always looked great! As a result I wanted her to feel proud and not embarrassed because of what she was wearing. So I went to Dick's Sporting goods in Champlin MN, the only place I knew to get the Life is good shirts. As luck would have it they also had PJ's and lounging pants. So I purchased many matching outfits. These were worn by Peggy almost every day of the journey in 2006 and 2007. The nurses and the Doctors use to comment on how cute she looked.

Peggy passed on to a new spiritual life on March 24, 2007. It has been very tough for me to go on because she was such a part of me and together we had a wonderful life. I have been asked what I am going to do with Peggy's things and I just avoid the answer. I was noticing that I constantly looked at the Life is good clothing because there are so many memories in them.

I decided that I would take a quilting class and make a quilt from them. But you can imagine how much learning and work that would take considering I am not a seamstress. My sister in law recommended that I contact my Niece's Mother in law as she makes quilts. So I did and she stopped everything and made a quilt out of some 50+ shirts and pants that Peggy wore. The quilt is beautiful and very comforting. I wanted to share this with you as I doubt that anyone has made a quilt out of 50 Life is good garments.

Hope you enjoy this story and can understand that your product made my Peggy's last year a blessing.

Thank you to Life is good for designing a product that truly brings forth the message that Life Is Good.

Victor
In memory of Peggy

Hi "Life is good" crew,

I thought you all would enjoy the attached picture taken in Baghdad, Iraq where I have been for over a year. Playing Ultimate Frisbee with local Iraqis (teaching them the game has been a hoot!) and subscribing to the motto "life is good," even amidst falling mortars and rockets, has kept us going.

My dear friend sent me a bunch of your stickers, the disc, and a few other things. They are a huge hit here as you can imagine how much people are thirsting for reminders of life (rather than death) and even more so, reminders that life is good. I work for the State Department and we have even started a daily report the - good news goose — where we can note good things that have happened to us during the day. It's all a part of keeping the right focus.

Thank you so much for what you all are doing and for your infectious optimism and enthusiasm. It is felt in all corners of the world!

Cheers,

Janessa

Dear John and Bert,

My name is Beth and I am writing you from Ohio. I have a 12 year old daughter Meghan who has been a fan of your merchandise for several years. She got her first "Life is good" ball cap when we were on vacation near Sanibel Island FL. Meghan is quite a tomboy/outdoors lover and it became common to see her with her "Life is good" ball cap on literally during all of her waking hours in the summer months. She has a lot of ball caps but that one has always been her favorite. Little did we know at the time what a role this would play in her life.

This past August, our Meghan was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma — a rare form of cancer. This was discovered during a routine physical and we were all shocked because Meghan had no outward symptoms. She had actually just helped her team to win the softball league championship game in our town just 2 weeks prior to this discovery. Needless to say this was devastating news for all of us but because of the early detection, the doctors said that Meghan had a great chance to make a full recovery. Meghan has spent the last several months going through a grueling regiment of chemotherapy. She has felt quite ill at times and has lost all of her hair. Her favorite "Life is good" hat sure came in handy — not only because she has been wearing it to cover her sweet little head but that phrase has come to mean so so so much to Meghan, to her family and our whole community through this trying time.

People took notice of Meghan's favorite saying and not only did it inspire so many but she has received so many "life is good" hats as gifts — we must have them all! Of course her old worn one is still the one she wears most often. Her classmates would write those words on cards and posters that they sent home to her. Meghan says it best in this quote from a speech that she wrote and recently read at school to thank all of her friends and faculty for their support during this time. "One of my favorite logos has been ‘Life is good.' After I found out that I had cancer, that saying reminded me that even though I felt sick a lot, I should still look on the bright side because things could always be worse… I would soon be better… and life would be good again." We just received word that Meghan's last scans were clear and that she is officially in remission. She just completed her last chemo treatment yesterday and, after a bit of recovery time, life in fact will be good again for all of us.

We have not taken many pictures during Meghan's illness and now that we are seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, we took Meghan to her favorite outdoor spot the other day where a photographer friend of ours took some wonderful pictures of her. She of course insisted that she wear her hat in most of them. When we get the pictures next week I will send you one. Anyway — I know I am rambling but as we all take the time to celebrate Thanksgiving please know that your company not only makes folks feel good but it truly helped on young lady get through the toughest time of her life.

God Bless you,

Beth