There are still bright moments during the coronavirus pandemic. Here are some of them
As the number of coronavirus cases across the U.S. continues to climb, so does the volume of news.
It can be deafening — and disheartening.
Mental health experts say the spread of COVID-19 has led to increased anxiety, and the World Health Organization recommends people “avoid watching, reading or listening to news that cause you to feel anxious or distressed.”
“Seek information updates at specific times during the day once or twice,” the WHO wrote. “The sudden and near-constant stream of news reports about an outbreak can cause anyone to feel worried.”
In an effort to break up that “near-constant stream of news” and assuage readers’ concerns, here’s a reminder that there is still good in the world.
A boy and his grandpa
A 9-year-old in Dublin, Ireland, sang Queen’s “I Want to Break Free” while practicing social distancing with his grandfather.
His mom uploaded it on Twitter, to the delight of many.
James Gallagher learned the song during his guitar lesson on Facetime last week, Today reported. He told his grandfather, who then sent his grandson a video of himself singing the song on the piano.
“So then I put his video up on my TV and I played along with it,” Gallagher told Today.
‘This is Neil Diamond’
Neil Diamond, the American singer-songwriter known for hits like “Red Red Wine” and “Sweet Caroline,” gifted the Internet with his own take on hand-washing during the coronavirus pandemic.
Diamond rewrote the lyrics to “Sweet Caroline,” sharing it in a three-minute video on YouTube titled “Hands... washing hands.”
“Don’t touch me, I won’t touch you” are the lyrics America never knew it needed.
Christmas in March
Some people are stringing up Christmas lights to “brighten things up for their neighbors,” McClatchy News reported.
From Colorado — “We need a little light in this time!” — to Rhode Island — “I think we need to look outside of ourselves right now” — the seemingly out-of-place Christmas displays in the middle of March represents hope for some.
Others never took them down.
An over-excited wiener dog
Rolo the wiener dog was so happy his owner was staying at home during the coronavirus pandemic he actually sprained his tail from wagging it too hard.
His owner, Emma Smith, said Rolo is currently on pain medication while it heals.
Luckily, the injury hasn’t affected Rolo’s outlook on life.
A wholesome new Twitter user
Tim Send, the head of security at the National Cowboy Museum in Oklahoma, has been asked to run the museum’s Twitter account while it’s closed.
The result was nothing short of hysterical — and heartwarming.
‘Porchtraits’
A photographer in Michigan losing work on canceled weddings and graduations invented something new — “porchtraits.”
John Martin of John F. Martin Photography Inc. opted to start taking pictures of willing families posing on their porch, MLive reported. The media outlet called it “a sort of family portrait, coronavirus style.”
“It was really born out of boredom and wanting to get my cameras out,” Martin told MLive. “All my work has been canceled or postponed though April. I can only take so many pictures of my dog.”
Love in a hopeless place
A man in New York saw a “cutie” dancing on a neighboring rooftop while maintaining his distance — so he sent her a drone with his “digits.”
She responded.
Now he’s looking for virtual date ideas.
This story was originally published March 24, 2020 at 3:37 PM.
