Bucking predictions, some couples are bonding not breaking during pandemic
The first time Sandra Nikolajevs fell in love with her husband was two decades ago.
The second time was during the spring lockdowns of 2020, when the husband and wife started taking early-morning walks together.
“When you first get to know someone, you spend a lot of time talking … and then, after being married over 20 years, you take that for granted,” says Ms. Nikolajevs, the principal bassoonist for the Savannah Philharmonic. “Having this time where there is 45 minutes or an hour and nothing to do but talk about things, it’s really interesting because it’s not important stuff. It’s just ideas and things that you toss around in your head and you’re able to get feedback and have a real connection that way.”
She adds, “It actually reminded me of the first days of our courtship when we met at Oberlin College.”
When the lockdowns began last year, there was widespread speculation that the divorce rate would soon spike. Traditional marriage vows uttered during the bliss of a wedding day suddenly took on a gravity that may not have been fully apparent before. Indeed, for a great many couples, the pandemic made it evident that continuing their relationship was untenable. But for many husbands and
Partners in romance and financeSlowing down, catching up