Relationships take work, and we all know this.
It can be hard to maintain a good and healthy relationship even when we can get together.
But it can be really hard to maintain a good relationship when you can’t get together!
Social distancing is hard and our relationships will and should reflect that.
So what do we do? Here’s how to strengthen your relationship despite the social distancing many of us are experiencing right now.
Make time for a daily phone call
Even just a ten minute check-in is a good idea to keep you and your love on the same page.
Share about how you’re dealing and how your partner can help support you. And vice versa!
This seems like a no-brainer but it can be so easy to start missing this and resorting to just texting or email. Texting and email are good, but they cannot replace hearing the inflections in your partner’s voice or replicate the organics of a vocal conversation.
It’s much harder to just write someone off and focus only on yourself when you’re having a phone conversation, too.
Schedule a video chat date
There are a lot of options here for what your digital date can look like!
Do a crossword together, watch the same movie at the same time, read poetry together.
This will give you the sense of being in the same place at the same time, which is good!
What’s even better is that you’ll still be sharing an experience and that’s just plain good for the soul, not to mention the relationship. It won’t be exactly the same as being physically together but it will be good.
My husband and I did this sort of thing a lot while we were dating and engaged and in different states.
Make sure to pray together
This can be part of the daily phone call, if you’d like. Make sure to voice each other’s intentions during this time and pray for the intercession of your shared saint(s).
The point of any relationship is to help us grow in holiness so prayer should always be central. Make this time of prayer even more potent by offering your prayers for each other and for the outside world.
We lift each other up and couples are not excluded from the work of salvation for the world at large.
Remember, prayer is also action, so discuss some ways you can still support your community during this time– buying groceries for elderly or immunocompromised individuals, sewing face masks for medical professionals, donating money to charities directly involved with caring for those affected by COVID-19.
If you’re at a loss, take a look at the spiritual and corporal works of mercy together and pick a way you can fulfill a few of those together.
Take time to discuss the future
Looking forward to what is coming soon can give us hope to get through the tough times.
Plan something in the future to look forward to– a trip, a date, a time of adoration. Plan to revisit your favorite local place together.
Make up a scavenger hunt to all of the places you’ve missed during social distancing or of places you’ve always wanted to check out but haven’t made the time for previously. Go on a cheap date!
Whatever it is, big or small, plan something for when this is over.
One day, this will end and we will be able to gather and go places with our significant others. Though this is a challenging time, don’t let your relationship go to the wayside.
This is a unique time to grow, so take advantage of it!
