It’s a scary world right now.

Many of us, myself included, are afraid to go outside. Many people still have to go outside, even though it’s putting themselves at direct risk of contracting COVID-19. Economies are plummeting, businesses are closing, and it seems every thirty seconds there’s news of something else being cancelled.

The only thing we can’t cancel, it seems, is 2020.

That’s why it’s more important than ever to focus on things that make us happy and make us smile. The upcoming weeks will no doubt put a strain on almost everyone’s mental health, so I’m bringing a few things that will hopefully bring a little bit of lightness to your day.

Piano for Elephants

There are few things in this world that are as precious and pure as an elephant. They are so magnificent and gentle, and we truly do not deserve to be the caretakers of their world (but really…we don’t).

Pianist Paul Barton spends his free time playing piano selections for elephants in Thailand. It’s truly the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen on YouTube.

This is his version of “Clair de Lune” for an 80-year-old elephant named Ampan (that’s old, even by elephant standards).

Need more of this? Don’t worry; the pianist has an entire playlist of his concerts for elephants.

Feeling Catty

I’ve spent many, many hours on The Dodo watching animal videos, but there’s something so sweetly charming about this little piglet who thinks he’s a cat. You can’t handle this much cute, but I dare you to try.

Kindness is free

This is a woman I follow on Instagram. Every day over the past few weeks she has been getting up before dawn to go to stores all over Southern California to collect hard-to-find items like toilet paper and cleaning supplies. She then delivers them to people at high risk who shouldn’t leave their homes, and only charges what she paid for the item (sometimes less), and never charges for her time or driving expenses.

It’s people like her who keep me having faith in humanity in a world as uncertain as the one we currently live in.

“With the dawn, I will win”

This Italian tenor climbed onto his balcony to serenade Florence with a rendition of the famous operatic aria “Nessun Dorma’ from Puccini’s “Turandot.”

The final line of the aria translates to something like “with the dawn, I will win,” which is the mood music that Italians need right now.

Banjo Balm

Comedian and musician Steve Martin posted this banjo ditty on his Twitter earlier today to try to cheer up his followers.

Think of it as a digital concert.

Sam Neill playing the ukulele

Actor Sam Neill has been posting his various chores on his Twitter while he’s been in self-isolation. Today, he did a little something different, and brought out his ukulele to serenade Twitter.

It definitely made me smile.

These are just a few things I found on the internet that I thought you all might enjoy. The longer we’re socially isolated (and it’s beginning to look like it may be a while), the more of these I will find and share, probably on our Twitter @collectivenerds.

Stay safe. Be well.

“It’s like in the great stories, Mr. Frodo, the ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger, they were. . . . Those were the stories that stayed with you, that meant something, even if you were too small to understand why. But I think, Mr. Frodo, I do understand. . . . There’s some good in this world, Mr. Frodo, and it’s worth fighting for.”