When I do things like cooking, dishes, mowing, and cleaning, I usually listen to music, podcasts, or audiobooks and sometimes I put something mindless on tv to have on in the background. The audiobooks I’ve been listening to lately have been a little intense and I needed a brain break, so while I’ve been packing getting ready to move, I browsed on Netflix for something to fit that bill. I landed on Season 11 of Married at First Sight.
I’ve watched other seasons of this show (don’t judge–I’ve never claimed to have sophisticated taste), and this one started out the same as others have. Couples were matched by “The Experts” and got married without meeting beforehand. Then cameras followed them through their honeymoon and the first few weeks of their marriages and whatnot. But then this season took a turn. They started filming in early 2020, and after a few weeks of being married…well, we all know what happened in March of 2020. It’s been fascinating to see what they were saying as it all unfolded.
At first one of them said that when they heard about the stay-at-home orders, they thought it might be nice to not go anywhere and just get to know each other better. One of “The Experts” mentioned that they didn’t know how many weeks they would have to postpone production. They talked about how it was unsettling that everything was closed, and how scary it was when someone they knew tested positive, and it just brought a lot of feelings back for me, because a lot of it felt very familiar.
We’ve been through some stuff, friends. And it’s not over–I feel like I’ve heard about more people I personally know testing positive in the last few weeks than I have maybe at any other time in the last two and a half years. And the pandemic is only one of several major issues happening in the U.S. and around the world. Sometimes I forget how different life felt a few years ago and when I do remember I get kind of sad, because I don’t know if I’ll ever really feel safe in the world again. And I know how privileged I am to have ever really felt safe.
Still, I have hope that we can build a world that’s better for everyone in it. I’m not sure what it’ll look like, but I do think it’s possible. And that’s what I’m going to try to think about instead of dwelling on the past or what’s happening in the present. Anyway, be kind to yourselves and to others. Look for the good in people, and evaluate where you get your information from. We’ve been through some stuff, and we’re not done, but I think we’ll be okay if we can do those things.
P.S. I just have to say that Amani & Woody and Bennett & Amelia have made me laugh more in this season of this show than any other reality show I’ve ever watched. Both couples are just adorable, and how they interact makes me giggle. I’m not done with this season yet, so don’t tell me if they don’t stay together!
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