Nineteen is my favorite number, so today will be a good day. Nineteen happy moments, at least, spanned over nine hectic weeks. I have been happy during quarantine and I have been happy in this very — what seems to me like — dark and lost nation.

To think I almost forgot. 

I have laughed, I have smiled, I have been happy. Who’s to say I can’t continue being happy? Yes, we are facing a national pandemic. Yes, we are facing another civil rights movement. But, I have been happy nonetheless. 

To say the least, it’s been more than disturbing to witness the protests, brutality and violence that has spanned our country during a global pandemic. I can’t quite fathom how the combination exists in the same time period, but here we are. But I’m a person who doesn’t believe in coincidences. I’m sure it had to happen this way in some shape or form so social change can happen. 

I can’t wait to see how it turns out. I really can’t. 

Don’t forget your happiness, folks. It’s the worst thing you can do on the daily basis. If you’ve forgotten your happiness, you’ve forgotten those seconds of liberty. We can’t look upon these past who-knows-how-many-weeks-now and only see damage and disruption. That wouldn’t quite do it justice, now would it. 

It wouldn’t be the truth. Some of you may have lost your job, lost a relationship, lost someone close to you, lost a business, lost yourself. But, at some point in time, I can promise you that you have laughed at least once. And probably more than once. 

I know it seems silly to try to remember a laugh or two here and there in comparison to the national travesty we are seeing on all modes of the media, but, I promise you, the world will brighten a shade if you let it. We can’t forget our humanity when it’s important. Who would we be without it? 

Don’t let these events keep you from smiling at the dinner table or laughing from a memory you spent before social distancing started. 

I don’t know if this is the beginning or the end, and I wish I could tell you, but that’s what makes this so important. We don’t have a bunker to hide in like the president, but what we do have is a community that is willing to protect us and for the better. 

How beautiful. 

Keep smiling, keep laughing, keep finding the positives. I know it’s hard, believe me. But trying to keep all of our spirits up is what I do best. If all of us tried to do that, too, then this transition our nation is making will come about easier. I don’t believe it’s an oversimplified solution; I believe it’s a “going back to the basics” solution. 

That can be beautiful, too. 

Peyton Hamel, sophomore in genetics and English.