Comic relief is in high demand these days, have you noticed? Collectively we’re getting a lot of bad news on a very regular basis, and it’s hard to face sometimes. Certain days are better than others, and though many of us are sheltering in place and not able to be around our friends for support, we’re still finding ways of leaning on each other.
From our bedrooms, living rooms and dens, we’re reaching out. We’re getting inventive with happy hour, leveraging the power of technology to maintain our social distancing. Baking fresh homemade bread and proudly sharing photos of our latest culinary creation seems to be a new favorite pastime. None of us have lash extensions anymore, the gel manicure began peeling off nearly 2 weeks ago, and the whole world is about to lose ¾ of its blonde population. Animal shelters are empty because everyone’s fostering, and yoga teachers everywhere have learned that they’re not as awful with technology as they’ve always thought.
So there are bright spots, in amongst the scary unknowns and the what-ifs. We’re loving those bits of joy.
This Dog Delivers
As we all settle into the idea that the world is changing right before our very eyes, and nothing will ever be the same again, we find appreciation for a good honest laugh. Something familiar, sweet and easy.
Enter Oliver, the dog of the hour. This adorable little wiener dog was in the right place at the right time, hamming it up for his two-legged neighbor.
Oliver had gone for a walk with his mama Jessica, and while they were out she stopped for some take-out from McDonald’s. As you are probably already aware, all Good Boys make wonderful little helpers and Oliver is no exception. He was more than happy to carry that bag of food back home for his mom, as evidenced by the spring in his step while trotting past neighbor Jagger Long, who was filming the whole thing. Long later posted the video to social media with the caption “A McDonald’s delivery from my new neighbor & Uber Eats boy named Oliver on King Street West downtown Toronto. Jessica Reanne you have one hard working doggie there!” (1) Check out the video here, it’s pretty cute:
Hard-working though he may be, unfortunately, Oliver has yet to pass his driving test. His career at Uber Eats is on hold until such a time as he can reach both the pedals and the steering wheel simultaneously. For now, he’ll have to make do with local deliveries that can be done on his own 4 feet. If you want to follow Oliver on Instagram and see what he gets up to, you can find him @oliverdean_theween.
Though it may seem silly, little bits of comic relief are so essential for us right now. Remembering to laugh is a great way to stay present instead of going down the rabbit hole of uncertainty. Now is the time (while so many of us have so much time) to check in with how we’re feeling… how our friends are feeling… and be honest with what we find. Allowing ourselves to laugh when we need to is key to being extra strong when that’s necessary too.
This time in our lives may not feel very balanced, but by acknowledging the funny and cute things, we are helping to balance out all the bad news. So keep being goofy, and keep posting it all, please! The world needs you silly ones, now more than ever.
