Although COVID restrictions look different in various parts of the country and the world right now, most of us are still facing some level of regulations in our daily lives. If we’re being honest, most of us are probably pretty tired of it by now.
We can debate all day about what restrictions are good and helpful to preserve health, which restrictions are silly or harmful government overstep, and everything in between. But at the end of the day, you’re not alone if you just want this all to be over.
For singles in particular, the continuation of these restrictions on things you used to do in everyday life can feel quite burdensome in many ways.
Maybe your go-to date was dinner and a movie. You might have those options open to you again. But you also may be wearing a mask in between bites in a restaurant if you happen to live in states like California.
Can there really be any positive sides to the continuation of these unpleasant restrictions in our lives? A deeper look at the situation reveals there are actually a few silver linings for Catholic singles navigating dating in these pandemic-y times.
1. The hookup culture is taking a serious hit
It’s probably true that even a global pandemic isn’t going to actually make people practice true chastity. In fact, one secular relationship website even suggests that if you can’t handle abstaining from sex with people you barely know, to maybe just do it with your mask on. I wish I was joking about this absurdity, but someone out there apparently thinks this is actually okay.
The good news is that a lot of singles are waiting longer to be physically intimate with people they date. Instead of casual hookups, most singles are realizing that the decision to have sex with someone they’re not committed to at all could be life changing.
True, the COVID-era is not an automatic recipe for authentic chastity. However, it is making conditions ripe for singles to think through their sexual choices with a lot more deliberation than before.
What does this mean for Catholic singles? Well for one, now might be one of the best times if you’re interested in trying to date a non-Catholic or someone who isn’t necessarily as committed to chastity as you are.
The disease-avoidance mentality won’t ensure that you’ll be able to have a successful relationship with someone who’s not as committed to chastity as you are. However, it definitely opens the door to discussions that wouldn’t be able to happen as naturally otherwise.
This disease-avoidance mentality can also be helpful even in the case of two chastity-committed people dating each other. It’s one thing to intend to be chaste, and quite another to carry out your intentions when you’re alone with an attractive person. It’s definitely possible that knowing there’s a possibility for COVID transmission can serve as an extra layer of insurance that both people will think through their actions before embarking on some unintentional intimacy.
2. The atmosphere is ripe for deep conversations
Whether you agree with COVID restrictions or not, there is definitely a lot of material these days to spark deep conversations.
Many people have very strong feelings on both sides of the issues in areas like masking mandates, forced closure of businesses, restrictions in churches, and the possibilities of giant conspiracy theories. With all that’s going on in the world, it has perhaps never been easier to fall into a deep conversation with someone you don’t know that well and learn many things about their personality quickly.
You might be able to discover that the person you’re interested in holds many of the same opinions and feelings as you do about what is going on in the world. Or you could also discover that the person you’re interested in holds views very different from your own, and you might get the opportunity to see just how open-minded both of you are able to be.
While it’s true that we’re really able to have deep conversations with other people anytime, even when there’s not some giant disease threat, how often does that happen? These days, the topics that lend to deep conversation often tend to be one of the first small talk topics to come up.
3. More people are turning to online dating
Whether it’s from the residual lockdown boredom or because they’re hesitant to meet new people in person, more people than ever are turning to online dating.
This can be particularly helpful for anyone who has ever tried online dating and not had a ton of success. More total online dating users equals more potential matches!
The bottom line is that there is more hope of finding a match through online dating right now than ever before as people turn to dating sites in the time they used to spend at gatherings with friends or trying to meet people in person.
So don’t sit around and wait for the pandemic to end or the restrictions to lighten up. Instead, try to make the most of these really dumb times by capitalizing on the good things that we do have going for us right now.
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