It was the third month of my new job when everything started to take a toll. I suffered from terrible migraines, but I managed to push through with Panadols and sheer willpower. Then came the news that changed everything—lockdown.
Lockdown didn’t just stop the world; it paused my life in every possible way—my career, my happiness, and even my marriage. But before I dive into that, let me tell you a little about my long-distance relationship.
We had been in love since 2011. Ours wasn’t a typical relationship—we rarely met, and communication was limited. But our hearts remained connected, and our bond was strong despite the distance. He wasn’t just my love; he was my biggest supporter, the one who always encouraged me to pursue my studies and career. His belief in my potential made me feel confident and capable. That’s why I knew he was the one—the best person for me to marry.
I missed him a lot during those years. But his focus on my education and our future kept us grounded. There were no celebrations, no dates, no frequent meetings. Instead, he supported me from afar, always prioritizing what was best for me. When I began my career, we decided it was time to take the next step.
Getting my family’s approval wasn’t easy, but we worked through it together. One of his dreams was to buy a house before we got married. And as planned, he did. We got engaged, and the following year, we decided to end the long-distance and finally get married.
But then, lockdown happened.
The borders closed, and he was stuck in Singapore, unable to return. Our wedding plans were put on hold indefinitely. It felt like everything we’d worked so hard for had suddenly stopped. To make things worse, I lost my job due to the retrenchments caused by the pandemic. It was one of the lowest points of my life—I felt trapped, with no control over anything.
Even though I cried myself to sleep most nights, I held myself together during the day, thanks to my family. Being from a big family meant the house was filled with energy and love. We played games, danced during Zumba sessions, and found little moments of happiness despite the sadness looming over us.
But I missed him deeply. Knowing that he was struggling far away and unable to be with me made it even harder. I hid my tears from him, always putting on a happy face so he wouldn’t feel guilty or worried. He did the same for me. We fought a lot during this time—frustration and distance sometimes got the best of us—but those fights only made our love stronger.
Time passed, slowly but surely. And even in the midst of chaos, I realized how resilient love can be.
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