Surface tension

While some relationships fall apart during the pandemic, others grow stronger

- MARELLA RICKETTS

When reality as you know it is drastically shifting, you can’t help but feel unprepared. Let me share with you a few examples: I did not expect to still be working from home at my new job, where coffee runs with colleagues are replaced with Google Calendar invites. I didn’t think I would have to limit my encounters with friends and spend all this time at home. And I certainly did not expect to be broken up with in the middle of the pandemic. My ex and I entered these uncharted waters hopeful, holding on to each other. In the days that followed our breakup, questions floated around in my mind, one of them standing out: Does the quarantine corrupt one’s thinking or does it help you see things more clearly?

In a world without the coronavirus, I could’ve easily found ways to temporarily distract myself from the pain that comes after a breakup. There would be bars I would frequent, friends I would invite to join me, strangers I would potentially meet. But experiencing this in solitude forced me to deal with things head on. What was I so afraid of before? I thought. I pursued healthier outlets such as journaling and exercising, and friends proved to be a quick call away. And then suddenly, a wave of emotion would wash over me.

My parents have been married for 27 years. Perhaps this is why I gravitate towards them for relationship advice. Our topic for today? Conflict during the pandemic, which they’ve had their fair share of, like any couple.