2020 hasn't been a great year for a good number of reasons and it has acted like a wet blanket smothering out the joy out of everything ranging from birthdays to annual holidays and related events. All of our celebrations have been muted and certainly scaled back. The main way we've been able to involve friends and family in such festivities safely has been through shared video calls or similar online channels of interaction.
But there is still a lot to be thankful for and we can't let something as "simple" as a global pandemic get in the way of marketing another great year together. As difficult as this quarantine period has been on everyone's mental health, we still need to appreciate how far we've come and what we still have.
Pardon the pun, but Tobie has been my rock throughout this difficult time. To be fair, he always has been. Even in times when I wasn't sure if I could believe in myself, I know that Tobie would always believe in me and remind me to keep going. When the walls feel like they're closing in, Tobie has always been there to provide comfort and strength. I rely on him for so much and can only do my best every day to offer the same degree of support in whatever way I can. That's just how we work - we constantly cheer one another on. We stay strong for the other when he falters because we are stronger together than apart as individuals.
Tobie helps to make even the most mundane moments feel special - and this goes beyond his cheesy dad jokes, his terrible puns, or his bizarre sexual innuendos. There's just something about him that makes every moment brighter and more joyful and I would not have achieved as much as I have in my life thus far without him inspiring me and uplifting me. He helps me to become better and I hope that I do the same for him whenever possible.
I love you, Tobie. 11 years have gone by so quickly, but at the same time, they have been so rich, meaningful, and eventual. This year has just stressed that together we have the strength to survive something as crazy as a global pandemic and I know that together we can face anything else that life has to throw our way. And we're definitely not going to waste a single moment, especially once the quarantines finally get lifted and we can live more "normal" lives again.