After having been in a long distance relationship for six months, there are many things that I’ve gotten used to. I’ve gotten used to having weeks go by before I get see my boyfriend. I’ve gotten used to talking to him solely by text and the occasional phone call. But I have definitely not grown accustomed to his absence at special occasions, such as holidays.

This is even more painful this time of year, with Valentine’s Day right around the corner. In past years, we’ve exchanged gifts in person, gone to dinner, and just spent time together. This year, gifts were packaged up and sent in the mail, and we crossed our fingers that everything would be delivered in one piece. It is definitely no easy feat to figure out how to send love through the mail.

But even though spending the holiday like this isn’t much fun, it helps to serve as a reminder that this isn’t going to last forever. There is going to come a day when we don’t have to do this anymore and we get to see each other all the time. The time apart is going to make us more appreciative of the time we get to spend together and allows us to become stronger both as individuals and as a team.

So let your Valentine’s Day flowers and candy remind you that, while those good things won’t last forever, distance won’t last forever either.