Coronavirus: The Lighthearted Moments During The Lockdown

When you are in the midst of a crisis, nothing is funny, but when the initial pain wanes, laughter and humor start to emerge as a way to cope. Interesting enough, the humor that follows goes through 4 stages according to Patt Schwab, author of HUMOR’S ROLE IN TRAGEDY. Humor is part of the healing process, it can ease the pain, highlight a point or pave the way for less fear and stress.

Therefore, it’s not too surprising that laughter and humor found its way into our lives during the Coronavirus lockdown. Even during the Civil War era, newspapers shared jokes, puns and funny stories. One that stands out describes a very tall Union soldier who was 6 feet 11 inches tall named Captain David Van Buskirk. He was captured in 1862 and was sent to a Richmond prison. While he was there, a Confederate businessman promoted his height by inviting people, for a price, to come see the giant. Rumor has it, even Confederate President, Jefferson Davis came to meet him. When he got ready to leave, the captain quipped, “when I was at the train station with my company, my six sisters came to say goodbye. As I was standing there, with my company, they all came up to me, leaned down and kissed me on top of the head."         

Many college students or their families documented their lockdowns in fun and creative ways. They used all forms of art from music, photography, dance, to story-telling.

hugabox conducted a very informal survey on Instagram, a week ago, asking our followers what they would like to read on our next blog and the Coronavirus: The Lighthearted Moments During The Lockdown won. So here goes… Enjoy!

In this hilarious song and dance, Jack Buchanan gets his father, Graham, to move. We mean...really move! His mother and sister add additional spark.

 In Roseland, New Jersey, the Torchia family turned their garage into a nightclub during the lockdown so their son, who was turning 21, could celebrate with his friends. The father, who served as the bouncer, stood outside of the garage door and carded each guest. He used the flashlight on his phone to view each one while his wife served as the bartender inside. "Welcome to Club Quarantine" she would say as she greeted each guest.

While we did not laugh during this performance, we certainly smiled and the music and dance made us feel so happy. Watch an amazing group of talented students, faculty and surprise guests from the Julliard School in New York depict what life was like for them during the lockdown.

At Holy Family College in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, students recreated 3-dimensional famous works of art  by using at least three items from their home. Students then posted a photo of original work and a photo of their re-creation. Above, student, Patrick Walls, provides a creative version of "Napoleon Crossing the Alps" by Jacques-Louis David. We love how he used the family pet in his ingenious plan.

These students were traveling back to school from a volleyball championship in Canada when they received word that their school had cancelled their graduation due to the Coronavirus. Hearing the sad news, the flight attendants on West Jet stepped up and created an impromptu graduation ceremony. They had each young woman walk down the aisle while they announced, over the speaker, her name. The passengers on the plane cheered and clapped. This gives new meaning to the phrase (heard at most graduations) "reach for the sky".  

We end our blog with one last song performed by a mother son duo. It will absolutely blow you away. Jordan Rabjohn's voice and his mother's are so uplifting and beautiful. As shared by Jordan,"As you may or may not know my Mum is a better singer than me and here's proof! We wanted to spread some positivity and love during these difficult times so this is our cover of 'Rise Up' by Andra Day!"

Is it okay to laugh and smile during a pandemic? Absolutely, creating and laughing together distracts our minds and comforts our souls. We hope hugabox was able to bring you joy and happiness today. Remember...keep creating, show your love often and be safe out there!

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