I am sick and tired of COVID-19 thinking it has the right to turn the entire world upside down.

Quite frankly, I do not think I am delivering breaking news when I say that staying at home because of COVID-19 sucks. At this point, it’s a known fact.

I think using Zoom to see your friends is annoying. I’d rather see them. I want to go to the beach. I miss going on hikes. I am scared that people are getting sick. I even admit to missing school. I am sad about missing almost the entire second semester of my senior year.

And while we are all using Zoom, abusing search engines with “what to do when bored,” stuffing ourselves full with food and then doing more workouts than you have ever done in your entire life (because now you don’t have any excuses not to do it), there is someone in my life who is thriving without all of this, despite all of this and because of all of this.

She is a lady with golden hair and big ears: Malou, my labrador hound mix. For her, these Corona times are awesome. She has even more spunk in her than she normally does and she constantly smacks us with her wagging tail.

For her, there is nothing better than her entire family being home 24/7. Her paws acquire super sonic speed when she becomes a disoriented center back in one of my brothers’ one-on-one soccer games, stealing the ball, happily laying in the grass with it and looking at my brothers with her cheeky eyes.

She has the time of her life breaking apart a stick.

And I know, chewing on a stick is not exactly appealing for us. But the concept behind it is. Malou’s concept of how to live her life is simple: no regrets, don’t over complicate things, go out and play whenever possible, eat good food and get a whole lot of love and sleep.

And honestly, this chill concept has rubbed off on me a bit. She has made these past few weeks a whole lot more fun for me. She is always in a good mood, always down for a game of ambushing my brothers’ soccer games (which I fully partake in with her) and always a spirit lifter.

So the next time your dog gives you those famous puppy eyes when (s)he wants to play, just do it.

Who knows, the impossible might become possible: having fun during these terrible times.