What the pandemic really did to relationships

In the United Kingdom, British law firm Stewarts reported a 122% increase in divorce enquiries between July and October of 2020, over the same period the previous year.

In the United States, a legal contract-creation site reported a 34% rise in sales of its basic divorce agreement. 

The Covid-19 pandemic has obviously taken a toll on relationships. We have seen evidence of this in entertainment news headlines, heard about it around the office water cooler or probably experienced it firsthand. 

First, let us look at the facts; the Covid-19 pandemic caused lockdowns, which meant that couples were forced to spend more time at home; with each other; sometimes all day, every day. This eliminated the ability to go to the store, go for a walk or go to your favorite watering hole whenever things got tense and you needed a break. Working from home became the norm. This completely changed the game…I meant, altered routines. No longer could you say, “I’m working late” because you were down the hall or at the dining table in your new home office. Traveling was restricted, public venues were closed, and your only getaway was the back yard…if you had one. 

Covid-19 unmasked us. Along with the lockdowns came the closures of beauty salons, barbershops, and other enhancing entities. Those who never considered going natural before, found themselves doing so at a rapid pace. This meant that the shared bathrooms at the home, where everyone was working, schooling and vacationing, now became transformation and maintenance studios. Suddenly, couples saw each other in their unenhanced beauty; some probably haven’t seen their mates that natural since the childhood photos were shared. This took away the illusion they were accustomed to for years where couples believed that their mates looked like the person that left the house for work every morning. Suddenly, those bad habits that were ignored and overlooked, became magnified. All of these factors made a perfect storm. Suddenly, some couples began wondering why there wasn’t a “Pandemic clause” added to their marriage documents.

But, on a positive note; the past year and a half have brought some couples closer together. Many people I have spoken with indicate that they are now saving more money than ever before. Surely the availability of additional liquid assets have made many households more joyful. Individuals have realized that they can survive with in-home beauty treatments and are now capable of doing what their beauticians and barbers charged them so much money to do. Others now understand that spending time with their children isn’t so bad and finally understand why little Johnny and Mary behave the way they do. 

I believe that those who find love during this pandemic will experience a bond that will rival that of even their grandparents. This is due to the fact that we are now less pretentious and are more comfortable being our true selves. There is a new air of openness in the world and priorities have been re-focused. Most importantly, anyone who can love you in your natural appearance is worth keeping. 

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