Long Distance Relationships: If you have ever had to experience this, you know just how hard it is to endure. Loving each other from afar has many challenges.
Being away from the one you love is agonizing – it should be – you love them and miss them. It isn’t an easy task.
There are many reasons why people have to spend time apart – whether it is a short amount of time like a week to a year or longer. It usually has to do with either work or family reasons for the distance (or meeting online!) but no matter how you got there, it can be unbearable at times.
You are friends, you are mates, best friends, you do things together, you make decisions together, walking hand in hand…and when that hand in hand has distance between it is challenging.
It’s like a piece of you is missing and can’t be found…it is an emptiness like no other.
The key, I have found is communication. When you have the time (which can be very difficult and challenging due to the time change and work hours, schedules, etc.), you need to make time for each other. Staying connected, making each other the priority makes all the difference in the world. It really makes or breaks it for me.
When the communication is few and far between, the connection fades and the demons in your head take over, creating a bunch of problems that really don’t exist but that you think could. Once those thoughts enter your mind, it is hard to combat them, making the distance so much harder. We are our own worst enemies at times – destroying ourselves with our thoughts and fear of the unknown. (and we can do this with anything really)
When the communication is good, sharing your day with each other, spending time with each other, keeps things as normal as possible. At least now we have the option of video chatting, calling, text messaging, sending photos and videos and using apps that are free – years ago the options were few and far between and very costly…
So, when you have to be apart from your mate for an extended period of time, make time for each other, talk, share, be part of each other’s day and it will help immensely. Make each other the main priority – it makes all the difference in the world.
Also, if friends or family members are enduring this, be supportive, help them make time for each other and see the importance of their quality time, giving them the respect for the time they have together. That will go a long way and help in the whole process as well.
Questions to Ponder:
Have you ever had to experience this?
What did you find were the key elements to having a long distance relationship?
