Have you ever had a friend, your absolute best friend, move away? I have, and all I can say is that you are lucky if you haven't. Your life changes drastically when your friend of 10+ years leaves. There are few things harder than being asked to come help your best friend pack up her room, or having to say goodbye for real. After all, you don’t know the next time you will be together. You’ve gone from seeing her nearly every day to having to schedule a vacation to go give her a hug. While the distance is something that is nearly impossible to bear, there are so many pros that can, in a way, outweigh the cons of having a long-distance best friend

1. Every time you get to see each other, it’s like an adventure.

You get to count down the days until you are reunited and plan all sorts of fun stuff to do while you’re together. Even though the distance sucks, there is so much more excitement when you finally see each other again. You learn to not take any time with each other for granted and to enjoy every little moment.

2. You get to travel to new places and see new things.

If you are lucky like I am, perhaps your friend moved somewhere that has different weather from where you live now. For example, if you live in a warmer place where you never see snow, maybe your friend moved where there is snow, so you get to see it when you go visit. Or it could be the opposite, you could live in a climate where the winters get cold, and your friend moved near the beach. That’s how it worked out for me. Now, when I go see my friend, I get the best of both worlds. Spending time with my best friend, and hanging out at the beach.

3. You get to meet new friends.

When your friend moves to a new place, it can be hard to imagine, but they are going to make new friends. While that can be a hard idea to wrap you head around, it’s important. Even though you will always be there for them, they still need friends near them. The great thing about that is the fact that when you go visit, you get to meet their new friend group. It is an exciting time, that's for sure. After all, you've heard all about them, and you're sure they've heard about you. Due to that, the awkwardness of meeting someone brand new isn't there. You have a bit of a "leg up", you could say. If you're lucky, they will become your friends as well.

4. Two words: Snail mail.

When your friend moves away, you learn to find new ways to communicate. While texting, phone calls, and video chatting help with the distance, there is something so fun about sending and receiving letters in the mail.

5. You see little things that remind you of them, and it makes your day.

Something as simple as seeing a landmark near her old house, going to one of her favorite stores/restaurants, or just seeing a sign or picture that would make them smile. Seeing things like those trigger the happy memories you had when you both lived near each other, and they always bring a smile to your face. And always, without fail, you can get your friend laughing by sending her a text saying “remember that one time when…”

6. Your friendship only grows with the distance.

I can honestly say that ever since my friend moved away, we have only gotten closer. How that happened, I have no idea. But I am so glad it did. When we do get to see each other, it is so exciting, and we can pick up right where we left off. She is my best friend, my biggest supporter and my person.