#SomethingToSmileAbout: 2020 Round-up
Believe it or not, some good things happened this year.
Don't get me wrong, this year was touggghhh. The pandemic impacted our lives in so many ways--our businesses, our relationships, our daily routines. But that radical change allowed for some pretty amazing things to happen.
Hitting pause did so much good.
From the environment to our mental health, so many things were suffering from our constant need to do. Being forced to pump the breaks gave everyone a chance to slow down, reflect, and reset on how we want to live differently going forward.
We've been bringing you #SomethingToSmileAbout all year.
Focusing on those really good moments is sometimes the only thing that got us through the really tough parts of this year--and we hope it helped you too. Now, as we reflect, and continue to endure, what is probably the most challenging time of our lives, we don't want all those good things to slip through the cracks. So, without further ado, here are our favorite reasons to smile from 2020…
1. We came together to celebrate front line heroes
In NYC and in cities across the country, people stepped out onto balconies and leaned out windows to applaud health care workers at exactly 7pm every night. The celebrations went on for months, in an astonishing and heartwarming demonstration of our unity and gratitude.
Hear the incredible applause here.
2. We gave nature a chance to heal
Venice canals are the clearest they've been in decades due to the absence of tourists, motorboats, and pollution. Jellyfish were even spotted floating down the canals! Other natural wonders became visible for the first time in years, including the peaks of the Himalayas.
See more amazing images here.
3. We found thousands of shelter animals their forever homes
Spending more time at home than ever before, many people made the decision to add a furry friend to their lives. Adopters turned out in waves, and shelters across the country were emptied. Animals that had been up for adoption for years found fur-ever homes!
Watch a Florida shelter celebrate their empty facility here.
4. We elected the first female Vice President
Kamala Harris shattered glass ceilings in November when she was elected Vice President of the US. Not only is she the first Vice President of color, but the first female in this office. "Every little girl that is watching tonight sees that this is a country of possibilities," she promised in her acceptance speech.
Watch her full acceptance speech here
5. We bonded with our neighbors--maybe for the first time
From socially distanced block parties to dance parties in the street, spending more time at home meant getting closer to the people around us (from a safe distance away ; ) In San Mateo, CA a group of neighbors got creative during shelter in place with a dance party.
Watch the hilarious video here
6. We found a way out
Whatever 2020 brought, we're all ready to get back to some kind of normal. For 9 months, scientists across the globe came together to develop a vaccine that would allow us to do just that. As the first vaccines are starting to reach front line health care workers, the end may finally be in sight.
See the amazing moment that UCLA receives its first vaccines here
