Dear lovebirds,

Before I continue, let me first say that I am very happy for you. Somehow, in this crazy messed up world, you two found love in each other. I sincerely wish only the best for your relationship, as it is a truly beautiful thing.

Despite your heartwarming love, I must address the more pertinent issue at hand, and the purpose of this letter. If you and your partner have done nothing more than hold hands, hug, and share a quick kiss in public, this letter is not directed towards you. I am specifically speaking to the couples that feel inclined to take their physical connection to a greater level in public, crowded places. For clarity purposes, I am referring to exaggerated and long make-out sessions, groping, excessive touching -- well, you understand.

Once again, I will reiterate: I am very happy for you both. Love serves as the fuel for the circle of life, and by being together, you two are contributing to its necessary continuation. But there is a time and place for everything, and quite frankly, your excessive physical affection in public is very poorly timed and placed.

Please understand, I am writing to you as someone who has been in a very fulfilling long distance relationship for the past three years. I know what it’s like to love someone, and when you do, it is only natural to show them how you feel through various mediums. So before you try to call me out for being a cynical single woman, hear me out.

Over time, evolution has graced us humans with advanced brainpower and intelligence. We have the ability to decipher emotions, learn languages, and solve complicated life problems. One of our greatest gifts, however, is the ability to be mindful. We are taught to be aware of others and respectful in our actions towards them, as we appreciate the same in return.

But even with these abilities up our sleeves, some of you couples are not using your higher intelligence. I am here to remind you -- in public places, for a vast majority of the time, you two are not alone. People with different lives and backgrounds constantly surround you: people in long distance relationships, people who have just suffered a break up, and people going through a rough patch in their relationship. And some of these people, admittedly, won’t care that you choose to be especially expressive in public places, will put some headphones in, and move on with their days. But for some of these people, you two are serving as a painful reminder for everything that is wrong in their lives.

That is already a large chunk of the population, but we haven’t even addressed the people with children, the people who may come from other cultural backgrounds, and the people you are simply making uncomfortable. And I hate to break it to you, but you won’t ever be able to decipher which people you are frustrating and which people you aren’t. Having said this, perhaps it would make sense for you two, as the respectful human beings I’m sure you both are, to limit the excessive PDA and thus avoid creating any potentially uncomfortable settings for bystanders.

I understand that you may not have the intention of making others feel uncomfortable. I strongly believe that your physical affection is rooted from a very good place, and that you are experiencing something very natural and healthy for a relationship. But I don’t think it would hurt to try to put things into perspective, because I am not asking you to completely eliminate all affection in your life, I am simply asking that you reconsider the setting in which you display it in.

I have been in a long distance relationship for three years. I am all too familiar with the amount of will power it takes to resist throwing myself onto my boyfriend at the crowded airport after not seeing him for several months. But if I can hold it together until I get home, so can you two.

Sincerely,
Dasha.