When most people think of long-distance friendships, they think of their friends who are studying in another state for college or are away for a specific period of time. Except...
I live in New York. One of my best friends lives in Virginia. Another best friend lives in Italy. And another best friend lives in Ukraine.
It’s not so easy knowing your absolute best friends are nowhere near you, but it’s helped tremendously in working through insecurities normally experienced in friendships.
If one of my closest friends were to move away tomorrow, I know I would be upset but I wouldn’t be worried. And if I were to go away myself, I wouldn’t worry about my friendships not lasting then either.
I’ve known my best friends who live in Virginia and Italy since I was in elementary school, and only met my best friend in Ukraine last summer. We keep in touch through video message updates, facetime or Skype, texting and tagging each other in posts.
We constantly keep each other updated on our lives and are sure to catch up with each other after a dry spell of not talking. I reach out to them for second opinions and advice.
We’re here for each other when no one else within a 500-mile radius is, and support each other constantly.
We lift each other up when no one else seems to and when we see each other in person it’s like no time has passed at all. (Thank you, technology!)
This past summer when I visited Italy with my best friend from Virginia, I didn’t get a chance to see my best friend who lives in Italy even though I passed through her town (there were fires and it was a whole complicated mess), I actually felt proud of knowing it didn’t matter if we didn’t catch each other this time.
Our friendship has lasted our whole lives and will continue to do just that. If I happen to be on the other side of the world and things don’t work out--there’s always next time.
However, I’m also extremely blessed that my family lives in Rome and other parts of Italy. If they didn’t, and my family couldn’t afford to visit, then it would probably be a little harder. Although it’s been about four years since I last saw her, it seems like it’s only been days. Probably because we just facetimed today.
My best friend living in Ukraine is a little bit of a different situation. I don’t know if I’m going to see her anytime soon because I don’t have family living in Ukraine anymore, and my step-family moved from there to live in America and Canada. I hope I get to visit her sometime soon or that she gets to visit me in New York.
My best friend in Virginia luckily lives closer to me than the other girls. We met through a mutual timeshare slot and have gone through every part of life together. On a trip to Virginia recently, I got the chance to see her after last seeing her during our last night in Pisa, Italy together. It was wild to me that I got the chance to see her and my heart was filled with joy. Every time I reconnect with these girls, I am reminded of how blessed I am.
Having best friends who live so far away taught me to have blind faith in my relationships.
I understand that if there’s a mutual love for each other, then there is nothing to worry about. I have built amazing friendships and even became best friends with those who I am fortunate to live a short drive away from. But, I have pride in my friendships with the ones who live hundreds to thousands of miles away.
Most times they don’t seem so far.
