It's the end of a week that's been an emotional slog. Many of us will spend the weekend with little Aylan Kurdi running through our thoughts. His story has rightly dominated the past few days.
As Ginger Gorman wrote on HuffPost Australia on Thursday, you can't unsee dead children lying on beaches.
Also this week, ABC journalist Julia Baird knocked the wind out of our sails with this piece on the NY Times about her cancer diagnosis. As Baird, who has recently undergone dramatic surgery, said: "there's something about writing a will that has small children as beneficiaries that makes the world stop."
Her piece is grace personified.
As a huge fan of the outgoing Sex Discrimination Commissioner Liz Broderick, I was also pleased to have her interview with HuffPost Australia's Political Editor Karen Barlow. With mild trepidation we await the announcement of her replacement. Personally I think former Chief of Army David Morrison would be a worthy candidate.
Mamamia writer Rosie Waterland released a book this week, The Anti-Cool Girl. This extract alone packed a punch. To have survived and thrived after a childhood like this is an enormous credit to her.
Speaking of survivors... Peter Greste gave us an exclusive look at some of the letters that kept him going during the 400 days he was in prison.
After Ben Tillman crashed his car, doctors told him he'd never walk again. He's refusing to take no for an answer and HuffPost Australia got a first-hand glimpse of his determination in this powerful video.
But if you'd rather just drink tea and have a chuckle this Saturday morning, here's Annabelle Hickson's delightful account of life as the adopter of a pet Kangaroo named Honey. This piece is honey for the soul.