I was originally going to write about how horrendous this year had been. I was writing and I realized that every single person on this planet knows that this has been a pretty horrible year. Everyone knows someone that has been affected by COVID-19, we all have felt the political unrest on our backs for quite some time now and I thought...why am I going to write an article about all the bad things that this year has brought that are already engraved in our minds. I started to reflect on the beautiful things that happened this year that brought my soul solace. The year 2020 may have been a rough year but that doesn't mean there wasn't beauty happening around us. We just have to open our eyes and see it.

Here are 20 good things that happened in 2020 that made my heart smile:

1. We showed overwhelming support and appreciation torwards essential workers, health care workers and teachers.

Photo by Nicholas Bartos on Unsplash

The very people who kept the world running when it was in shambles. We will remember and we thank you.

2. NASA named the Washington D.C. headquarters after the first black female engineer, Mary W. Jackson.

You can read more about it here.

3. John Krasinski came up with “Some Good News”

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This was the time in 2020 where every report on the news seemed to get worse and didn't look like it was going to look up anytime soon...Some Good News came to give us the hope that all of needed at that time.

4. For the first time ever, an internation fillm 'Parasite' won an Oscar for best film.

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CAN WE JUST APPRECIATE HOW HAPPY BONG JOON HO LOOKS HERE?? Kick butt movie, you can find it on Hulu but here's the trailer.

5. 'Hamilton' got released on Disney+

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Thank you Lin-Manuel Miranda for blessing us forever, we are forever indebted to you.

7. DACA was saved.

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It was a close one and although it may still be vulnerable under the current presidency administration, it was a win for the dreamers! You can read more about what happened here.

9. Africa was officially declared free of Polio.

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We love to see it.

10. Drive-in theatres have made a comeback!

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Although I do miss going to the movie theatres, drive-in theatres just do it for me aesthetically.

14. 2020 taught us that empathy is the way we could survive as a nation.

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It is as simple as wearing a mask around those most vulnerable and being mindful of the people around you.

16. We took a break from living a fast-paced life and took it slow in quarantine.

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It was as if the world stood still and all there was to do but binge watch all the shows you had been wanting to but kept pushing aside due to the business of our daily lives and commitments. Not many could say that they were able to do that, even if quarantine drove you a little stir crazy.

17. There are vaccines in the making that are looking very promising.

UK becomes first country to authorize Pfizer/BioNTech's Covid-19 vaccine, first shots roll out next week

www.cnn.com

The United Kingdom has become the first Western nation to authorize a Covid-19 vaccine, a landmark moment in the coronavirus pandemic that paves the way for the first doses to be rolled out across the country next week. IT'S HAPPENING PEOPLE!!!

18. Sports were able to keep us from going completely crazy.

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Might have been the smartest move to keep the masses from going crazy. Nontheless, we still get to cheer on football and basketball teams right now.

19. We realized what was most important to us in this life.

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We all have different ideas of what holds the position of being the most important to us in this life. Mine happens to be my family and friends and I am grateful that right now, we are all doing just okay.

20. I invite you to think of one thing that happened to you in 2020 that brought you joy.

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It can be as small as you becoming more independent or getting through another semester of school! An accomplishment is an accomplishment no matter how small. It just matters how much that meant to you.

Cheers to all the beautiful things that happened this year and for the hope that things can and will get better.