Have you ever scrolled through Pinterest looking at pictures of your favorite food, dreaming of the next time it will grace you with its presence?
That's what it's like being in a long-distance relationship.
From FaceTime dates to phone calls to constant text conversations to letters and cards, the communication struggle is real within a long-distance relationship. If one person is super busy one day or their phone is acting up, you just don't get to talk to your significant other.
But while this factor of having to attach yourself to telecommunication and rarely or never having the physical company of your SO is a deal-breaker for so many potential romances, I believe that long-distance is a very positive opportunity for any relationship. Long-distance forces a couple to step outside of reliance on one another and focus on constructive autonomy, as well as avoiding falling into a boring routine that causes the downfall of even the most exciting relationships.
The best thing about long-distance?
You'll appreciate each other so much more than 99% of other couples out there. Guaranteed.
This is a common theme throughout life: someone is a constant in your life, but the second you lose them--whatever the reason--their absence is painstakingly felt. This event is usually followed by regret for not having fully understood their value to your daily life, and you usually tend to listen to some depressing J. Cole song to mull over your angst.
The same is true of seeing your long-distance SO. My long-distance boyfriend and I often poke fun at ourselves for getting excited over getting to do things that are seemingly insignificant or mundane to other couples, like going to the movies together or having karaoke duet sessions in the car. Each and every minute that we get to spend together is cherished, and that has made us infinitely stronger than I believe we ever would have been otherwise.
I won't lie, there are some excruciatingly difficult days. One of us will get a little jealous of whoever is hanging around the other, or we'll kind of drift and not talk for a while, leaving the other wondering what's going on. And some days, one of us just really needs a hug, and the other isn't there.
At the end of the day, if the only determining factor in pursuing your feelings for someone is distance, don't hesitate: invest yourself, give it time, and make it work.
I thought that I would just make it easy on myself when my boyfriend and I begun long-distance just over a year ago and break things off, but the more time goes by, the more I see that we were meant to have this time apart. It has forced us to learn the everyday thoughts, stressors, and joys that the other experiences, and taught us that love is work, but is also special and not to be compromised by the number of miles that lie between us.
So if you ever find yourself having to leave your love for a long time or, heck, just really meshing with someone that slid in your DMs and you have any desire to truly be happy together someday, go for it. Dive in with a full heart and a ready mind. You won't regret it.