Mark and I celebrated the five-year anniversary of meeting each other for the first time remotely. Why? Oh, you know. COVID-19.
I’d like to start off by thanking everyone who is, seriously, so kind to us during this situation. Everyone has been really sweet about the fact that we can’t travel to see each other. But I hate to be so, well, non-emotional about it, but my realistic side has taken over.
As of right now, U.S. infection rates have closed our borders. Policies will be reviewed at the end of September, and at that point it will have been six months since we were together. My well-practiced learned optimism is keeping me afloat, as are my kids.
It just can’t be helped. So why splash around in the emotionalism of it. It’s sad, but there are far sadder things going on right now.
We are healthy, as are our people. That is the most important thing. We are both employed. We still have each other, and if anything, the separation has made our resolve and affection grow stronger. I can’t say that “absence” has made our hearts grow stronger, because we talk all the time via text and FaceTime, as usual (if not more than usual, really). I don’t feel he is absent. I just think we’re used to being the decision makers when it comes to visits and time together, and now, our health and the health of our family comes first. If you start trying to consider all of the points — cost, safety, quarantining there AND here upon return, the kids, the parents — the scales just don’t go in our favor.
So we will wait, and hope for rapid testing and better infection rates.
Most of all, I’m extremely grateful for the week we had in Florida together at the beginning of March. I can’t say reading the news and realizing we were going to leave our favorite little Cocoa Beach hotel and immediately go into lockdown was fun, but the week as a whole, was.
I’ve also found others online who are separated and going through the same thing. Check out Love Is Not Tourism if you’re interested.
No go wash your hands.
