We’ve been faced with unforeseen circumstances in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, forcing us into social isolation and reflecting on our relationships–past, present, and future. Our new series #LoveInQuarantine focuses on how couples are loving while in lockdown and how (or if) singles are dating during these times.
Words by Maria Mora. Illustration by Sam Liacos.
When it was announced that the nation would go into lockdown, what was running through you and your partner’s mind?
We were a little unsure and skeptical how true it was because we have never gone through something like this.
Congratulations on getting engaged! Can you tell us a bit about how the pandemic has affected your relationship with your significant other?
Thank you! Honestly, we have always been very close, but during this pandemic, being forced to work from home instead of going to our offices, it brought us much closer. We have grown and it’s weird to say but the pandemic kind of solidified our relationship. Being together for 11 years, you’d think spending 24/7 locked up we’d be annoyed, but it has been quite the opposite.
What personal revelations have you come to during this time?
One personal revelation was the true meaning of self-care. I got some unsettling health news about a month ago. I cried for a few days, but I knew this was a sign that I needed to slow down and control the stress in my life.
Is there anything new about your partner you’ve discovered during the pandemic?
Yes! That he has more of a romantic side than what I thought! The day he proposed to me, which was my birthday, he made sure he incorporated everything I love. I was speechless, beyond happy, and shocked.
Knowing that we might still be in a nationwide lockdown in the unforeseeable future, what do you hope to gain from your evolved partnership in the coming months?
More happiness and growth. Every year brings new experience and we grow more and more, both personally and in our relationship.