Welcome to the Daily Quote – a podcast designed to kickstart your day in a positive way. I'm your host, Andrew McGivern, for August 22nd.Today is Never Bean Better Day, and before you start wondering about coffee beans or lima beans, let me tell you about the most heartwarming origin story you'll hear today. This special observance was created to honor Bean, a golden retriever therapy dog from Morgantown, Pennsylvania, who has touched countless lives with what his humans call "Bean wuv."

Never Bean Better Day was founded in 2017 by The Drager Group and officially recognized by National Day Calendar to celebrate the unconditional love that dogs bring to our lives, particularly therapy dogs like Bean. Bean is a cancer survivor himself who has become a celebrity therapy dog, spreading joy in hospitals, schools, reading programs, and anywhere else people need emotional support.
What makes Bean special isn't just his therapeutic work – it's his approach to life. Despite facing his own health challenges, Bean embodies pure joy, living completely in the moment, and sharing love with abandon.

The phrase "Never Bean Better" captures that wonderful canine philosophy of finding happiness in the simplest things – a belly rub, a walk, a kind word, or just being present with someone who needs comfort.

Bean and therapy dogs like him remind us that sometimes healing comes not from complicated solutions, but from simple presence, unconditional acceptance, and what Bean's family calls spreading "wuv" everywhere you go.Which brings us to today's quote from the famous psychiatrist and Holocaust survivor Viktor Frankl, who once said:"Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances."Viktor Frankl's profound insight connects beautifully to Bean's story and what therapy dogs teach us about resilience and joy. Here's a dog who survived cancer, yet chose to dedicate his life to bringing comfort to others. Bean didn't let his circumstances define his purpose or his capacity for spreading love.

Think about what Frankl is really saying – that no matter what happens to us, we retain the power to choose how we respond. Bean embodies this truth in the most beautiful way. He could have become a fearful, withdrawn dog after his health struggles, but instead he chose to become a source of healing for others.When Bean walks into a hospital room or sits with a child learning to read, he's not thinking about his own past struggles. He's choosing, in that moment, to be fully present with joy and compassion. That's a form of freedom that many humans spend lifetimes trying to achieve.The "Never Bean Better" philosophy isn't about denying difficulties or pretending everything is perfect. It's about choosing to approach each moment with curiosity, love, and the kind of resilience that says, "No matter what has happened, I can still spread joy today."So today, in honor of Never Bean Better Day and Bean's inspiring example, consider how you might choose your attitude in whatever circumstances you're facing. Like Bean, you have the freedom to approach each moment with love, presence, and the kind of joy that can heal both yourself and others.Sometimes my dog... who isn't an actual therapy dog... is the best at improving my mood. A wagging tail, smiling eyes and a few kisses and instantly the world is a better place.
That's going to do it for today. May you have the courage to choose joy despite your circumstances, and may you always remember that every moment is a chance to spread a little love in the world.And today is also my Dad's birthday. Happy Birthday Dad!
I'm Andrew McGivern, signing off for now, but I'll be back tomorrow – same pod time, same pod station – with another Daily Quote.