I know I’m not the only one searching for some bright spot in the middle of this politically charged time. I’m not the only one who has questioned my relationship to others of my species. But this video, and the resulting videos, have brought sheer joy and laughter to me and to the interwebs – at a time when we truly needed it.

There are more than 142 million views (over 3 million shares) of the first video captured on Facebook Live as I write this. That is bananas!

Candace Payne, the “Chewbacca Mom,” exploded onto the scene with a hilarious amateur video in her car from the Kohl’s parking lot. Who would have expected it to go viral?

Now here’s the thing: You can’t plan to make a viral video. (If you could, we’d all be doing it!) But what you can do is be real, authentic, and tap into emotion, which is exactly what happened here. She wanted her friends and family to know that it was HER mask.

Her laughter is contagious, and I laughed just as hard with her as I watched it.

What happens next will be in marketing MBA programs for years to come.

Enter Kohl’s. Have you ever wondered how a brand can engage authentically with incredible results? (At 32 million views on Facebook right now. Talk about great ROI!) Watch this.

But wait! There’s more. Actually, two more.

This was fantastic. Candace takes James Corden to work. I laughed ‘til I cried. “I’m such a happy Chewbacca!” she yells.

And then there was this. It’s a wonderful story with a very, very happy ending.

“It’s the simplest joys!” shouts Candace Payne.

Yes, Candace, it absolutely is. My faith in humanity has been restored, at least temporarily.