A Love Lockdown
Valentinestag hits a bit different this year and the lockdown is feeling a bit more locked as well. Today was supposed to the last day of the third national lockdown in Germany. A day where we had hoped to be released from this endless nightmare. To maybe, possibly go out for the special occasion - to a restaurant or ins Kino. However, the lockdown was extended last week just as Karneval began. Yet another casualty to the C word and our campaign for all ... bleiben zu Hause. I have learned a lot of lessons in this time not just about public health, hygiene and government but that we as a society take so much for granted. This realization has made Valentines even more special. It has made the weekends more than just a day for errands and cleaning but more so for rest and quality time. It has made Sunday more about togetherness and closure than brunch and television. The funny part is there is no amount of time working at home or security of a vaccination that can ever take these lessons away from me. I want to believe I have also learned to plan and shop earlier for gifts and whatnots for holidays and milestones. I mean by December 16th I should have been halfway done with my Christmas shopping but I hadn't even started. And now that shopping and shipping have been interrupted by the virus, bad weather and hochwasser I realized I couldn't get the man in my life that is also that man has everything anything at all. I couldn't even get lingerie to wrap myself up. Instead we both settled on a weekend of lavish meals and wine pairings. We listened to college radio and lit Aldi dinner candles. We watched Netflix and tonight we will end the Valentines weekend with a Bundesland staffel of "Kitchen Impossible". Normally, this day would be defined by fussy outfits, dinner reservations and drunken sleep. This was way more special and surprisingly easier. Germany didn't help much either as the limited resources we do have sort of forgot about this day. Our Netto has more chocolate Easter bunnies on display than it does anything red, heart shaped or Valentine-y at all. So I cannot beat myself up for not getting him his usual card or something other than my time, noods, cooking and a bit of hanky panky. I vow to do this going forward even when the world opens back up. No more fuss, no more superficiality and no more rushing to meet the societal pressures of love unlocked. Alles ist okay. It is way better than okay right now.
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