We asked real people to tell us about their experiences with love over the past year amid the COVID pandemic. As we prepare to celebrate Valentine's Day following a year of lock-downs, social-distancing rules and isolation, it seems impossible that amid the illness, loss and grief that continues to affect the world because of COVID , love would continue to thrive.
But behind closed doors, beneath masks, under our thumbs and behind our screens, love is still flourishing. We collected stories from couples from all over the country who fell in love on dating apps, moved in together as a result of quarantining, strengthened their marriages, and yes, even found love for themselves apart from a partner. Here are their stories, in their own words.
Due to the personal nature of these stories, some people have chosen to remain anonymous. Some stories have been edited for length. Being isolated together while working full-time jobs virtually from our two-room apartment has definitely proved to be difficult.
We've tested each other's patience with our quirks. As people who both work with youth, our home is always filled with kids' voices from every angle. Which, after 10 months, is enough to drive anyone crazy. We've experienced grief for what our life was: going to see shows, performing Hayley's music at live venues, going to the beach, seeing our families, throwing our arms around friends, adventuring with our dogs. We've gone through losses this year that were immeasurably difficult.
We've gotten sick with this virus and had our bodies break down. We've lost our way on our individual paths as creatives. We've gotten back, maybe not on the same paths, but better ones.
