Champagne, Oysters and Pandemic

No one will dispute the fact that love is what will get us through this pandemic.  Love gives us the strength to continue on when the odds are stacked against us and simply put, love is what makes life worth living.   Whether that’s love for a spouse or partner, our children, our parents, our pets, even our planet, love is what makes us feel alive.

So what does love look like during a pandemic?  It has taken on many forms the past few weeks for couples, it could be sharing a bottle of wine and take-out in any green space not covered in caution tape (in Miami it’s obviously bilingual caution tape) and for singles, it could mean swiping right on any and every dating app to all eligible singles deserving enough of a Facetime date.

Even in perfect conditions, dating is complicated, now coupled with being quarantined in your house for an indefinite amount of time, it makes it damn near impossible.  And what about the scenario of finding someone you would consider as a potential quarantine partner? There is something very alluring about spending endless nights in the embrace of another while the world is crumbling around you.  The longing to feel safe, to feel protected from the unknown, dominates rational thinking and creates a bond with someone instantly in this unique time.

And then you wake up….

The morning light peaks through the blinds as you gaze upon the person lying next to you,  scratching your head and saying to yourself, was I drunk this entire time? Looking at the half empty wine glasses strewn across the night stand, the answer is a resounding “YES”.  Did the quarantine serve as some powerful aphrodisiac that made us succumb to a moment of weakness? Would we normally reply to a text message received at 10pm from a neighbor, just after curfew, saying “baby, you want to cuddle?” after days of no contact?

I will admit to being the champion of making bad decisions when it comes to dating however,  most of those bad decisions were a whole lot of fun in the moment. And if that bad decision translates into watching Tiger King, or some other piece of garbage on Netflix, with a half naked virtual stranger, it is certainly way more entertaining with a warm body next to you.  And by that same token, board games take on a whole new meaning when Monopoly is suddenly transformed into Strip Monopoly.

And let’s talk about food.  I’m certainly no chef, and with limited takeout options available, if you can cook a decent meal or at least make a tasty cocktail, that’s a panty dropper in itself.  I am amazed at how many mediocre men are coming out ahead in this pandemic due to the fact that instead of going to football practice or to their senior prom, they were hanging out with their grandmother in the kitchen learning how to make arroz con pollo.  On the flip side, for girls like me that wanted to be at lacrosse practice instead of making cupcakes for the basketball team, it can be a real struggle. Trying to cook a homemade meal with whatever ingredients are currently available in the sparsely stocked shelves of Whole Foods can get really tricky, not to mention, I’ve never really understood the difference between the bake and broil settings on my oven.

As the days and weeks pass by in quarantine, we will all reevaluate what really matters in life.  We will also come to reevaluate our choices in life, including our partners. The lovely couple that shared the bottle of wine on the grass during the first few days of shut down is now quarreling behind face masks in the fancy cheese area of the grocery store.  Conversely, singles that had been strangers mere weeks ago, are now making space in their homes for an extra tooth brush and a change of clothes.

There can be so much beauty in total chaos.  The current situation has forced us to find happiness in simple pleasures.  We are discovering the joy of a stroll around the neighborhood, riding a bicycle that had been collecting dust in the garage or simply cooking a meal together.  Children are spending much needed time with their parents and parents are finally present and rested enough to actively enjoy their children. We are also learning patience, patience in running our daily errands that were once so quick and easy, patience with one another, and patience within ourselves.  The earth is healing as we are healing, and if in that healing, a quarantine lover soothes your nerves and helps you make the bed in the morning, they are truly a treasure. https://jadeeguidice.com/

JaDee Guidice