I’m writing this post in hopes that I can give a little insight on how to survive a long-distance relationship. I feel like I’m a pro since I‘ve been in this type of relationship for over three years AND have had a happy ending...or rather a happy beginning.
Here’s my story, and a few tips for all you lovestruck people out there.
Rewind to June 2016. I met a sweet guy playing an online game. Go figure, right? We struck up a friendship and over time it eventually turned into love from afar. I know, I know, there are so many stories like mine, and you've heard them before, however, not all of them are what they seem. You see, I felt connected to Sean from the moment I met him. He was polite, sweet, and caring. Again, I know, I know...that's what they all say. Honestly, though, he was a perfect gentleman and I never once felt as though he was catfishing me or misleading me to earn my affections. I mean let’s face it, I was just playing a game and NOT looking for love. However, we quickly forged this unlikely friendship and became best friends over that summer.
To be quite candid, we were both in unhappy relationships. I’ll spare those icky details. So, being online, playing games, was a way to pass the time.
Sean and I became confidants. We learned so much about one another and it felt good. After a while, we both knew that we were meant to be together.
Eventually, I took a leap of faith and decided to fly to Utah to meet Sean in person. I don't recommend doing this, but I felt safe and besides, we were BFF's by then, right?
My mom was beside herself though, and she made sure I gave her ALL of Sean's information. She proceeded to paint this horrible scenario of how he could kill me and bury me in the desert and no one would know! She’s 110% dramatic, but not out of line for thinking those things. The world we live in can be scary, so she had a valid concern. Anyway, that’s why I love her. We laugh about it now, but you have to be careful about meeting anyone you’ve met online. The point here is to be safe!
Make sure someone knows all the details of your plan if you‘re meeting someone for the first time. Especially if you’re planning to meet away from your hometown, it’s a good idea to tell someone. If you’re meeting locally for the first time, bring a friend. You can never be too safe these days.
When Sean and I met in person it was incredible, to say the least. We just clicked and everything was wonderful. I couldn't stop looking at him and holding his hand. He was real! He was exactly the same person I had met online, and what a relief that was for me. Whew!
Anyway, Utah was beautiful, but our relationship was even more so. Our four days together were filled with sightseeing, a museum, lots of street tacos and coffee (our favorites), talking, shopping, and taking advantage of all the quality time we had together. When it was time for me to return home, it was hard on both of us. We really had no idea if we'd ever see one another again, so the goodbye was heart-wrenching. I’ll never forget soaking up the last few minutes in the airport and the tears running down our faces. At that moment I knew we would have to figure things out.
The miles between us were vast. But we’d figure it out, right? We both had responsibilities in our separate states with our family and jobs that we couldn’t ignore. But again, we’d figure it out. We didn’t know how we would survive to be apart since our time together had been so magical. There was no question. We HAD to figure things out. Being apart seemed a little daunting at first, but we were determined to make our budding relationship work.
This is how we did it.
Tips:
• Texts! Lots and LOTS of them.
• FaceTime calls. Everyday!
• Cards and care packages.
• Frequent trips. Every 2-3 months. • And the biggest, most valuable thing... TRUST!
There was never a time I questioned whether Sean was being faithful to me. I was never jealous and I never felt insecure. And vice versa. We both had and still have complete trust in one another.
Sean is the sweetest, kindest man. His words are truthful, comforting, and sincere. I am blessed to have him in my life. And I’m even more blessed to now have him living with me. We made that move official in September 2019!
I can’t wait for what the future holds for us.
If you find yourself in a long-distance relationship, please have faith, trust, and the will to endure the miles apart. It’s hard to be apart from the person you love. However, there is a good chance that your circumstances will change if things are meant to be.
Good Luck!
Noël Naturally
