This past week, I've had to go through a lot. My best friend is going back to college. Not just any college. THE Ohio State University. A university that is a nine-hour drive away. He isn't just my best friend. He's the love of my life.
Last weekend, I went with him and another friend of ours to help move in. The nine-hour drive there and back was, of course, terrible. (Pennsylvania alone took up six hours of the trip). We have been in our relationship for a year and almost two months. The first time he left while we were together was upsetting. Then when he went back after winter break, it was worse.
This time, it was unbearable. He left a couple days ago.
When we hugged and kissed goodbye, I did not want to let him go. I wanted him all to myself. I am holding back my tears and he whisper in my ear, "Jewel, please don't cry."
When he did finally leave, the water works came pouring out. I was a mess. I have had this empty feeling in the pit of my stomach since he left and it is not leaving anytime soon. We spent almost everyday together this summer, whether we were just hanging out or at work together. I miss him. I love him. We have been through it all together.
You are all probably wondering how we made/make it work, spending most of our relationship away from each other. We text, call, snapchat and FaceTime a lot. Sometimes we would even send letters to each other just to make things more special. But at the same time, we lived our lives. We didn't make each other our number one priority. School was our number one priority at that moment. We also knew each others schedule, for example when we were at work or at class. We were always honest with each other. There were times this past academic year when we didn't speak at all one day and it was okay. We both have our own space. We have our happy medium.
Some couples give it a try and it doesn't work out. However, that is because most of them don't try hard enough, don't care enough or they try too hard and are obsessed with each other, not giving each other that needed space and alone time.
If you are in a long distance relationship or about to be in one, do the same things we've done, but try not to over do it. Try to visit each other as much as you can and as much as your budget lets you.
I've been crying ever since he left. And each time he leaves to go back to school, I'm gonna cry harder and the pain will linger more and be harder to bare, but in the end it is worth it. Distance really does make the heart grow fonder.
