I had no idea how I would respond during a pandemic…until one happened! And then one morning as we were getting ready for work, soon after they announced a ‘shelter in place’ for social distancing in our area, I just broke down and cried.  And I cried hard….harder than I’ve cried in a very long time.  I was feeling so many emotions at once.  My response shocked me. But what didn’t shock me was my husband’s response to me.  He’s been my rock!  And, I am such a thankful wife and I want to take the time to express gratitude for my spouse.  Here are 5 ways my husband helped me during the Covid-19 pandemic.

1. He didn’t judge my response. I had a complete and utter breakdown and he just hugged me and reassured me that everything was going to be okay.  He let me get it all out at the moment.  He didn’t try to stop me or fix me at the moment.  And that is exactly what I needed at that time.

2. He’s being a great leader.  Since Covid-19 began to significantly impact us here in the U.S., my husband’s motto is “Lead or be led.” And he is being a true leader, not only for our family…but for our employees and our community as a whole. At every level of our lives, he is displaying confidence and well-thought-out action towards mitigating the impact on our livelihood and well-being.

3. He’s had a positive outlook. I don’t think his positive outlook is unrealistic given the actions he’s taking towards achieving his desired outcome. If you plan to fail, chances are you will. Quite frankly, his positive attitude is reassuring and makes me feel secure in this time of uncertainty. And this is one of the main reasons I’m such a thankful wife right now.

Even during this unprecedented time in our history, we are being presented with an opportunity to support each other more as spouses and to come out of this with an even stronger marriage.

4.  He’s being a great partner.  You know, now is not the time to leave your spouse hanging with the weight of the world and the responsibilities of your relationship and family to carry alone.  One of the great benefits of marriage is that you don’t have to do it alone.  As soon as the ‘shelter in place orders’ were in our area, he said: ” come on babe…let’s go to the grocery store to get our house stocked up with food.”  We also discussed a plan for our kids that would be homeschooling.  These are things that I primarily focus on in our family.  But it’s been good to know that he is right there with me during this time.

5. He’s being a great father. We’ve all been home for months and during this time, my husband has taken the time to whip every last one of us in games of Connect Four, badminton, croquet, and more.  He is very competitive and he’s not showing us mercy…not even during a pandemic.

This COVID-19 pandemic has tested my marriage and will test many marriages.  The pressure from it all can tear you apart or bring you closer together.  Have you heard of the saying ” Pressure busts pipes.”  But pressure also makes diamonds…it all depends on your perspective and your ability to adapt to your circumstances and the obstacles coming your way.  Even during this unprecedented time in our history, we are being presented with an opportunity to support each other more as spouses and to come out of this with an even stronger marriage.

Check out this video from Relationship Advice with Ayize and Aiyana Maat that stresses the importance of being grateful for your marriage:

Take a moment today to express gratitude for your spouse.  Or better yet, think about the ways that you can support your spouse more.