What better time to appreciate our friends than during Thanksgiving break? This one is for all the long distance friendships.
After having the same best friend since elementary school, the amount of heartbreak I faced after finding out we would be separated by thousands of miles was incredibly surreal. It took quite a while for it to sink in. Despite the many miles between us (769 to be exact), we have never been closer.
The most common argument against long distance is, "How could you survive without them constantly being there for you physically?" I say it is easy. It is a common idea that distance is this scary principle, when in fact it is only as scary as you allow it to be. Distance forced us to reach out and communicate more with one another. We were no longer able to wait till we saw each other to express anything. It seems as though we talk more when we're apart. We were a phone call and text away, and with unlimited data, we took advantage of that. Visits were also an important factor in maintaining our friendship. Whether they lasted a day or a few, once or twice a year, they brought us back to our "old days", if you will. Physically being there for each other, regardless of how long and often, was more than we could ask for.
Although we tend to think of long distance as a matter of being physically apart from someone, keep in mind that we do not have to be literal miles away in order to distance ourselves from the people in our lives.
Many of us are at a point in life where we are beginning to branch off and are becoming a lot more busy day by day. It is easy to get caught up in our own lives. More often than not, we do it without noticing. We have got new chapters in our lives to fulfill, but that does not mean we should put the others on a shelf. Whether you are away from home at college, have a significant other out of state, or simply too busy working towards your own goals, know that the relationships you hold with people are stronger than you think. Just remember to reach out and touch base once in a while — call your parents and that friend you have meaning to reach out to.
Let us all appreciate the time we get to spend with our loved ones this holiday season —as you should any other day.
Remember that long distance is real, and although it may first seem like the end of the world, it is possible to make it work.
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