Long distance relationships come with pros and cons in every category to keeping a healthy relationship with your significant other. I can't tell you how hard it is to be so in love with someone who you have known your whole life only for him to live hours and miles away. Being miles away from one another is not easy and it takes two to tango when it comes to keeping the relationship alive and both people happy.
This Thanksgiving break, I came to a few realizations in which I have much to be thankful for. Yes, I am very thankful and blessed to have the most supportive and loving family and friends, but I am also thankful for the man in my life who never fails to make my days brighter. Although we may not be together all the time whenever he comes home, I am thankful for the time we spend together and the memories we create.
For anyone who has been or is currently in a long distance relationship, I'm sure we can relate to the longing and numerous emotions when it comes to looking forward to seeing your loved one again.
In my four-year experience (thus far), I can most definitely tell you the distance has made my boyfriend and I, and our love, stronger. The amount of time we aren't actually together is only made up and redeemed when we are reunited with one another. Would I like to see him and be with him everyday? Absolutely. But I realized that distance only makes the heart grow fonder and being apart only makes our reunions ten times more special.
Although being away for a certain amount of time can make a relationship stronger, it can also damage it, which is why trust, reassurance, and communication are three important keys that are needed in any and all relationships. Without these, overthinking and nervousness in both parties happens, and my relationship has had those moments where the two of us have needed to be reminded of what holds to be true and important. If that's not even the case, it could also be the distance itself that can change a relationship; being apart could be too much and too painful.
Distance can strain a couple in many ways due to the want and need to be together. Being away from your boyfriend or girlfriend can make you feel lonely; yes, you're never alone with plenty of friends in your life, but it is different when there is only one person you would rather be with to make your days feel complete. There are also times when one of the two people in the relationship is in need of comfort and support during a tough day or when something is bothering them, but feeling helpless in not being able to be there for your loved one can be heartbreaking. There is nothing any boy or girl could want more than being with the person they love.
Many of these feelings have definitely played some sort of part in my relationship throughout the years, and I'm sure the same has happened with those who can relate. As all of this goes on throughout a loving relationship, everything a couple goes through is what makes the relationship grow into something more beautiful than when it first began, whether it be a short or long distance relationship. It's all about putting in the attention, time, and effort in the end.
