I am accustomed to a life very full of live artistic experiences, such as plays and concerts. Though I completely respect the need to ban these gatherings during the pandemic, I have been feeling their absence. Zoom meetings and YouTube videos simply don’t cut it.

Recently an artist I adore, Aoife O’Donovan, livestreamed a concert that Dan and I wanted to “attend.” I asked friends for ideas as to how to make the experience feel more concert-like, and one suggested that we watch it outdoors.

I kicked that idea to Dan, who found us a relatively inexpensive little projector. We rearranged our tiny patio, bundled up, cracked open some hibiscus cider, and ended up creating a really phenomenal concert experience.

I’m not sure if Dan could tell when he snapped the picture below, but I was crying. Watching that concert felt terrible and amazing all at once: terrible because it forced such a clear realization about all the deeply human activities we’ve lost (and will lose for a while yet); amazing, because the experience felt so fun, romantic, safe, gratitude-inducing.

Fear not, the tears didn’t last long.

Following the concert we were still having such a wonderful night that we turned off the patio lights and played a few episodes of The Office.

If our neighbors were so inclined, they could have watched along from the street.

Steal this idea. Even if you have to prop your laptop on your grill, find a way to listen to some music together outdoors, maybe around sunset. Snuggle up and enjoy not exactly normalcy, but something beautiful regardless.