The Bright Side: A Soccer-Playing Baby Elephant And Other Stories You Need Right Now

This article is part of Upstream, The Daily Wire’s new home for culture and lifestyle. Real human insight and human stories — from our featured writers to you.

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Welcome to the Bright Side, a weekly roundup of all the good news and ideas you might have missed from the past week.

We’ve reached peak peony, y’all!

Serving prime basic babe energy, summer’s lush pink peonies are flooding gardens and farmers markets across the U.S. My little shiplap-n-shabby chic heart can barely handle those delicate ruffled petals and sweet, citrusy fragrance. I’ll be living for $2-per-stem at Trader Joe’s until the last blooming minute.

But if I lived near the University of Michigan, I would be Instagramming the heck outta the 10,000 blush blooms at the W.E. Upjohn Peony Garden right now. The most expansive collection of peonies in the nation provides the most romantic floral backdrop for a vibey English garden picnic, a watercolor painting session, or a casual stroll through the grassy grounds.

Hello, did you know you can eat peony petals? Because I didn’t! Named after the French stage actress, ridiculously fluffy Sarah Bernhardt blooms infuse jellies, jams, cookies, and tea. Maybe TJ’s should stock a few peonies in the snack aisle.

An adorable baby elephant doing baby elephant stuff

Adding to my eternal fascination with elephants and their gentle giant energy, an endangered Thai Asian elephant was just born at the Whipsnade Zoo in Bedfordshire, England. And at 3.3 feet tall and 243 pounds, he’s cute as a (really big) button. 

A baby Asian elephant made his debut at a UK zoo on Wednesday at just two days old.
On the eve of the FIFA World Cup, the baby boy was given a ball to play with and could be seen attempting a few dribbles and investigating with his trunk. pic.twitter.com/ExczEmk16y

— The Associated Press (@AP) June 11, 2026

He has the fuzzy-haired, wrinkly forehead of an old man, but this little guy represents a hopeful future for his species. His older sister Nang Phaya was also raised by their attentive mother Donna (sounding like a ’90s butter mom). The baby of the family is in good hands.

He has yet to be named, but just hours after being born, he was already trotting around and testing out his legs. Elephants technically walk on their tippy toes, but considering how well this lil fella already dribbles a ball, I’m thinking he could be named after famous Thai footballer Chanathip Songkrasin. Often compared to Lionel Messi, the soccer icon also goes by “Messi Jay.” Thank you for coming to my baby elephant-naming TedTalk. 

Analog pride with an epic celebration of pencils

If you’re into trad Punxsutawney Phil, you’re gonna love Minneapolis couple John and Amy Higgins’ annual pencil-sharpening festival every June. Never has “No. 2” had a more wholesome association. 

????????LATEST: Thousands of people attended the 5th annual pencil sharpening at the home of Minneapolis couple Amy and John Higgins. This event is revolved around the sharpening of a giant pencil sculpture in their front yard. pic.twitter.com/j0Afw7io1m

— Dom Lucre | Breaker of Narratives (@dom_lucre) June 8, 2026

After the top of their 180-year-old oak tree was destroyed by a storm, the cultural philanthropists commissioned an artist to sculpt the remaining trunk into a 20-foot-tall writing instrument. Now, thousands of people “pencil in” the party every year, which takes place at the couple’s home and features local marching bands, merch, costumed character performers, free ice cream, and a ceremonial “sharpening” of the giant sculpture. 

“When you sharpen it, you smell that graphite. When you erase, you can smell the rubber,” said John Higgins at the event. “What the pencil can do when you sharpen it, is so much more. It’s a promise to do something.” 

Being in nature actually makes us feel better

Forest bathing, or the intentional practice of immersing yourself in nature, might sound like your crunchy neighbor’s favorite thing to do when they’re not DIY-ing soap from beef tallow. But a new study by Environment International suggests that spending time in nature really does increase satisfaction in life. Thanks, grass!

It’s obvious to anyone who enjoys a hike in the woods or camping on the beach, but nature has long been known as a salve for the spirits, offering all of us the chance to ditch our screens for a boost in mood and a sense of well-being. But a recent survey of over 50,000 people of all ages and nationalities showed increased self-compassion and, in turn, greater optimism about life. All from connecting with nature. 

“No one says, ‘That tree’s ugly because it fell and the other ones are standing up,’” notes content creator Tori Murphy, who enjoys the refreshing landscape of Juneau, Alaska, where she lives. “Just because it isn’t perfect, doesn’t mean it’s not beautiful.” Same goes for us humans.

If you’re having trouble shaking off your “city thoughts” as you become one with the great outdoors, put your phone on silent, take a few deep breaths, and activate your senses. Smell campfire smoke wafting through the air? Hear cicadas or birds in the trees? Feel the warmth of the sun, or a cool breeze on your skin? You’re doing it right.  

Art imitating life via the nearest empty driveway

Growing up, we used our backyard hose for more nefarious purposes like spraying whoever was standing inside the screen door to the patio. But one family puts their resources to much better use, creating some pretty fantastic water silhouettes in their driveway.

@mamamamamamidwest Our family was absolutely floored by the millions of you who watched us make water sillouettes in our driveway last summer. It was a little summer fun that brought so much happiness and so many new friends. We are kicking off the summer by bringing back our water art and this time it’s all about movies. Can you guess the movies we are portraying? What do you want to see next? We have a hose and a driveway and we can keep the fun coming!!! #summerfun #water #movies #kidsoftiktok #series ♬ Summer Days – Mirage chart

I don’t know what level of crafting genius is required to be the Midwest mom who comes up with this type of activity, but I aspire toward inventing iconic images even half as recognizable as Air Jordan, “Mary Poppins,” “E.T.,” and “The Little Mermaid.” My silhouette would probably end up looking like a sidewalk crime scene. Wait — maybe I’m just being hard on myself. I’m sure I could do a pretty mean “starfish.”

Okay, it’s not the most popular sport in the U.S., but I love watching a World Cup game at a bar with enthusiastic fans! Bonus points for an ice cold beer. Help me feel better by sharing your guiltiest pleasures and joys in the comments. You can email me too. There’s so much to celebrate and it’s more fun to do it together! — Lauren