Being stuck in our homes this year has been such a unique experience. I really think that every single person I’ve spoken to about it has a different outlook on the impact that this time has had on their lives both negative and positive. If someone told me that I would spend very close to the entirety of 2020 in a in a 750 square foot box, I would never have believed them. That’s just it though, we are living in unfathomable times and as human beings who, among many other things, need fulfillment, adventure and excitement, it was only a matter of time before this groundhog day routine would start to drive most of us crazy. While I absolutely do not want to gloss over all of the very important things going on in the world and the last thing I would ever want to do is to diminish the struggles that other people are facing, I really want this post to be about a solution that my husband Jack and I have found to try and keep life feeling meaningful, new and exciting for us while being at home 24/7. To hear my thoughts about coping during a pandemic and this time of civil unrest around the world, please check out my previous post called “Enough Of What?” For the sake of really hoping to help people who were struggling mentally and emotionally like I was with being home all of the time, I think it is also important to share how we have been able to make things magical without having to leave our home.
Jack and I are so lucky to live in California where the weather is nice and we have a private little patio that is honestly where we spend most of our time these days. Back in February, when news of the Coronavirus was really starting to appear more and more in America, we were some of the first people we knew to be worried about leaving our home due to my compromised immune system. I know I have shared my Multiple Sclerosis story with everyone before so I won’t go into it much here, but being that I am on a treatment that shuts down my immune system, I started becoming terrified to leave the house even before the initial talks of a lockdown. It would only take about another month or so for the virus to have spread so rapidly and significantly that almost everywhere had to be shut down. That is when we came up with the idea of having romantic dinners out on our patio and making a pact to show up for each other and ourselves by dressing up and really going full out to make our little dinners enchanted.
Back when I had to wear a suit and heels every single day, I said that I would give absolutely anything to be able to wear yoga pants every day. It wasn’t until I no longer had to dress up for work that I realized that I wasn’t just doing it for everyone else. I now have such a greater appreciation for the knowledge that getting dressed up and feeling presentable is just as much for me as it ever was for everyone else. I’m not saying that I don’t feel pretty in my natural state, I promise I do. However, I also love how I feel when my clothes fit me well without having to be stretchy, I have on some makeup and I feel put together. I cannot say enough what a huge impact this has had on keeping us sane, helping us to feel closer than ever, and broadening our horizons. A huge part of what I find romantic is accountability, and sticking to this was something that we both were very happy to do together. What started out as ordering in food and setting the table then grew in to moonlit slow dances, outdoor projector drive in style movies, and we have now arrived at full on elaborately themed and homecooked date nights from around the world. We have been able to learn so much more about cultures that interest us, we spend time together watching YouTube videos and learning about how to make things, and we get excited to decorate!
Our dream is to one day visit all of the amazing places that have inspired our evenings when this Pandemic is history and to be able to help others find joy while also staying safe and being considerate of others. Our little date nights are now a full production and we would love to share them with you in the hopes that they will inspire you to keep trying new things and put in the extra effort to show up for yourself and your loved ones during these difficult times. I don’t know who needs to hear this, but it is okay to still find joy and happiness during a time like this. It is what keeps us going, and when we are doing well, we tend to be more helpful to others. I hope that you’ll take a trip around the world (our little patio) with us and share some fun ideas.
Lots of love,
Suni
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