A marauding customer left a one-star Yelp review over a cat in a bodega she frequented in the East Village and the internet responded in kind. The bodega cat wars were brief and devastating, with multiple feline-loving humans responding to the Yelp review once word got out about its existence. Twitter was not amused.
But there’s a very good reason to have cats roaming around bodegas and lounging on top of six-packs of Budweiser: rodents. With cities becoming enlivened with construction, typical rat enclaves have gotten disturbed and the critters are left to scurry around for different real estate. Some major cities are looking to an old-fashioned solution to the problem. One of those cities is Chicago, where rat complaints are up 67 percent this year, according to CNN. And even after a new rodent task force crunched the data, the most effective solution to Chicago’s rat problems seems to be good old cats.
It’s a tale as old as time. Beginning with the Natufians (the ancestors who dawned our agricultural age) came rats, who found large stores of grain too appetizing to pass up. To combat them came the cat. And that’s where we still stand, some 13,000 years later. Some solutions just don’t get any better. New Yorkers seem to think so, as well. In response to that one-star review, New Yorkers started giving glowing reviews to the bodega in question, lambasting poor old Diana D., who seemed to leave the original review. With Yelp beginning to delete the reviews, one New Yorker started a Change.org petition to get the city to make Bodega cats legal.
Since then, the petition has reached 3,000 signatures and growing. Will we get the ability to pet adorable bodega cats freely any time soon? Not so fast. New York is still a town with rules. According to Gothamist, bodega cats are still considered a “general deficiency” and bodega owners can get hit with a $3,000 fine if a cat is found living in the establishment. Still, with rat fecal matter fineable at $300 a pop, it might pay to keep a Garfield around, even if it offends the delicate sensibilities of a few new New Yorkers. And then there’s this:
A photo posted by Matt Sebastian... (@sebastianxmatt) on
Wiman hiding her face behind a bunch of cashCanva
A mansion and its reflection in the swimming poolCanva
Salzburg at nightCanva
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Parents of young children get more time with them if they work from home.Photo credit: Canva
Grieving couple comforting each other
This response to someone grieving a friend might be the best internet comment ever
When someone is hit with the sudden loss of a friend or loved one, words rarely feel like enough. Yet, more than a decade ago, a wise Redditor named GSnow shared thoughts so profound they still bring comfort to grieving hearts today.
Originally posted around 2011, the now-famous reply was rediscovered when Upvoted, an official Reddit publication, featured it again to remind everyone of its enduring truth. It began as a simple plea for help: “My friend just died. I don't know what to do.”
What followed was a piece of writing that many consider one of the internet’s best comments of all time. It remains shared across social media, grief forums, and personal messages to this day because its honesty and metaphor speak to the raw reality of loss and the slow, irregular path toward healing.
Below is GSnow’s full reply, unchanged, in all its gentle, wave-crashing beauty:
Why this advice still matters
Mental health professionals and grief counselors often describe bereavement in stages or phases, but GSnow’s “wave theory” gives an image more relatable for many. Rather than a linear process, grief surges and retreats—sometimes triggered by a song, a place, or a simple morning cup of coffee.
In recent years, this metaphor has found renewed relevance. Communities on Reddit, TikTok, and grief support groups frequently reshare it to help explain the unpredictable nature of mourning.
Many readers say this analogy helps them feel less alone, giving them permission to ride each wave of grief rather than fight it.
Finding comfort in shared wisdom
Since this comment first surfaced, countless people have posted their own stories underneath it, thanking GSnow and passing the words to others facing fresh heartbreak. It’s proof that sometimes, the internet can feel like a global support group—strangers linked by shared loss and hope.
For those searching for more support today, organizations like The Dougy Center, GriefShare, and local bereavement groups offer compassionate resources. If you or someone you know is struggling with intense grief, please reach out to mental health professionals who can help navigate these deep waters.
When grief comes crashing like the ocean, remember these words—and hang on. There is life between the waves.
This article originally appeared four years ago.