I have been counting down the months, weeks, days, hours, minutes until I can stop avoiding the next goodbye, start sleeping next to you everything night again, and have your kisses all over…
I suppose this is just a post to share my excitement that we survived long distance and to YELL my appreciation for Matt for sticking with me through the ebbs and flows of life. I don’t want to sound dramatic, but I never had a clue to the anguish a person can feel when they are trying to manage life apart from their partner. I know other couples suffer so more and for so much longer or under scarier circumstances. It feels silly to say what we went through was hard. I can I hear my therapist saying now, “Don’t compare your situation to others,” and “your feelings are valid.”
For the past seven months, my boyfriend, Matt, and I endured a partnership separated by two time zones, four states, and 1,144 miles. And after seven months, we are fortunate enough to share a home in the same zip code.
I want to say “I wouldn’t wish it on anyone,” but actually, I do. Distance blows, but I won’t deny it made us stronger and pushed us to grow as individuals and as a couple. Distance challenged us to love in new ways.
Distance also really pushed us to dive deeper into our communication. The tone of a conversation can get lost so easily over the phone or over a text message. We started to open up our communication to be honest and open about our insecurities brought about by the distance and talk through them, ultimately helping us to grow stronger in our relationship.
The biggest con of our long distance relationship was how expensive it was. We made a deal to schedule a visit once a month; either him to me or me to him. Anytime I would get discouraged at how much we were spending because of our monthly trips and how little we were saving, I would always think to myself, “our relationship together is absolutely worth the expense of a visit.” I would much rather has a the special time together and we had the means to make it work.
Some of the things that helped to us feeling connected and keep our relationship fun was date night movie nights, Better Help Intimacy and Relationship card packs, and our monthly visits to look forward to, of course. The intimacy and relationship cards by Better Help are also super fun! The cards ask various questions through a few different topics to help get to know each other more. They are SO FUN and I highly recommend!! We still will answer a couple cards a week!
Long distance relationship are hard and if you are lucky enough to make it out on other side, it will make your relationship feel so much special!! If you are there, stay strong and stay true to yourself and what feels right. There were many nights when I would lay in bed, with my chest physically hurting and tears welling in my eyes grasping for the end of long distance to come.
Now that we get to share every day together, everything feels special. We are definitely going through the honeymoon phase again. Stay tuned for to hear about our fun adventures coming up!