Long Distance Relationships - Not Always A Bad Thing

by Eden Tuin

You hate it, but it's happened – the love of your life has to travel abroad. Will it be days, weeks, or even months before you'll see them again? Many people have had to face this situation, and what many of them never consider is the ways in which it can make your relationship stronger.

Sure, you lose the physical closeness, and that's a hard blow to handle. But you can also focus on other aspects of your relationship without distractions. When is the last time you've had a deep conversation with your lover? Maybe even discussing your desires, fantasies, and ambitions?

The saying 'Distance makes the heart grow fonder' is true in many ways. In a long term relationship, sometimes you find yourself wishing you could get some time to yourself. The commitments of a family, job, and other things that life throws at you can sometimes make this impossible.

Taking the time that your lover is away to not only improve your communication between the two of you, but to also improve yourself, can make a huge difference in your relationship and life.

If you've always wanted to get fit, take up a new hobby, or just change the track your life is headed on, the time while your lover is away is a good chance to take to do so. Just think how thrilled they would be to come home and see you healthy, or having fun with a new hobby. It would also help to take their mind off worrying that you might cheat.

You will need to focus on the relationship as well, but in ways different from what you have done normally. Since you won't have the physical closeness, you will have to find other ways in which to compensate for the distance. Nightly phone calls, talking over voice chat software, or seeing each other on web cams can help alleviate this a lot. I'm sure you can think of some other fun things to do over those too!

Some other fun things you can do to improve your relationship while your lover is away include:

-Leaving romantic messages on their voice mail or in their email.

-Sending gifts and flowers to their work or hotel where they are staying.
-Talking about when you first met, the first time you knew you were in love, or other significant moments in your relationship.
-Start a project that you'll know they'll love (such as remodeling their favorite room into something that suits them perfectly) and surprise them with it when they get home.

-Plan for what you will do when your lover gets home. This can be taking them out on a date, a romantic evening at home, or anything else that gets you thinking to when they will be back in your arms.

Sure, long distance relationships can be a hardship at times, but look at it as just another one of life's challenges. It can test a relationship, but it can also let your commitment and dedication to your lover shine through, and make the relationship that much stronger.