I have been with the same person for almost 6 years now.
This is the first time in years that we are not together every day. It was convenient for us to be together because we meet each other at work during the weekdays, eat together, and spend the day after work together... We live away from each other, so we do not usually meet during the weekends, and for us, that's perfectly fine - to give each other a breather, and a time to miss each other.
But because of this pandemic, my life of routine has changed. I usually wake up at around 4:30 AM to get ready for work. I live the house at around 5:30 AM and arrive at my workplace at around 6:00 AM. After settling down, my boyfriend and I eat breakfast together until 7:00 AM. We talk a lot about the day that had passed and the day that is to be spent. Our work starts at 7:30 am and ends at 3:30 pm. In between, we eat lunch together, as time permits us to. We are happy. We are contented.
Then, this virus came and the rest was history.
We didn't expect that March 9, 2020, was the last time that we will physically see and be with each other. It was just an ordinary day, we spent it ordinarily, ate, laughed, and waved our goodbyes (for the day), expecting to see each other the next day... but lo and behold, our work was suspended the next day and the next, and then the next...
Since we are under quarantine (lockdown), and we are living away from each other, there was no means of transport and no way that we can meet each other, only in chats and video calls. It was different, at first I thought, this might be difficult for us.
A month had passed, and then two... I celebrated my birthday last May, in the province - the first time, in 15 years... This year, we are not together unlike the past 6 years. We relied so much on technology, but sometimes technology fails us.
I went back here in the city because I have to have a good and more stable internet connection and a workspace of my own. So, I did. Yet, we still can't meet. We were supposed to meet last June to get our stuff from work, but, changes in the schedule made it difficult.
I did not expect us to meet again, until last September 10!
He was able to hitch with a relative going to the city. We met at our workplace, spend our short time together, hugged and kissed each other (without malice), and just happy to have had spent that time together.
After 6 months and a day, I was able to spend the time with my dearest. It was a happy day, it was short, but it was nice. I was missed, I am missed, I am cared for, I am loved.
This is the reality, love in the time of COVID is difficult, but it is possible.
