Any relationship can become a challenge. They all have their ups and downs, fights and make-ups, and good and bad times. However, the ultimate test to discover the strength of your relationship is by factoring in distance.

Time apart, not just a weekend, I mean a month(s) apart due to the separation of distance can reveal the stability of your love. It requires patience and a lot of trust to keep its foundation steady as it was when you were around each other. When it comes to hundreds of miles and months apart, you see the reality of what your relationship is.

Yes, it may be great to see your S.O. every day or every other day, and you'll "miss" them when they are busy. You're inseparable. But how do you know your relationship's strength if you aren't apart?

Currently, I am entering two years of dating my high school sweetheart. However, it is not all cutesy as one may assume. This love story contains the antagonist of college long-distance. We are separated by 500+ miles, and when you break down the math, we only see each other 1/3 of the year. YIKES, SO LITTLE TIME.

What's the key to making a relationship stronger?

Distance is the answer, surprisingly. I am grateful for our distance. We are following our own passions that will eventually lead us back together. Thanks to the long-distance, we have become a stronger couple than we could have imagined. There was a time when we were always together, saw each other every day, and went maybe a day or two without seeing one another (circa high school). And guess what, we both didn't think our relationship would last a year. Well, now we are entering two years, and that's all thanks to long- distance.

Long-distance made us grow closer and stronger as a unified couple. We made time for one another yet respected the time apart. We are grateful for this experience because it taught us that we don't want to live without one another. Every little moment we share together is fully cherished. We make the most of what time we are given. Now, we are broke college students that cannot afford a flight to see one another whenever we want, but in rare instances, we can splurge on it. Like the one time my boyfriend flew to attend a sorority event with me and was delayed 5 hours! Ugh, that was so stressful. We lost 5 hours of time together, but the weekend was just as special.

Our limits were pushed. We struggled through the pain of longing. We never gave up.

Relationships shouldn't be easy. If it is, then how will you conquer life's obstacles? If your love's fortitude cannot be determined, how do you know whether it will last? Distance and time apart help prepare the couple for the long-term results of the future. You can know ahead of time whether you can handle the stress and pressure of it all.

Long- distance taught me that our love is impenetrable. No outside force can weaken our love for one another. The distance gained, and time lost made us appreciate the other that much more in our lives. This Thanksgiving, we not only celebrate our time together, but we also celebrate how grateful we are for this unique experience that has made us the strongest couple I can think of.