Long distance relationships are a blessing and a curse. The blessing is that the time spent together is focused solely on each other, something modern day live-in couples seem to have problems doing. Between errands, work, and maintaining hobbies and friendships, couples that live together seem to rely on tiny moments before bed when they are exhausted to connect with each other. The other option is weekend mornings when they prefer just to relax rather than find out how the other is doing.
So those of us in long distance relationship get unfiltered, concentrated, and insulated time together where emails are not checked, phones do not ring, all there is the two of us. For any human, the individual care and attention of another for a prolonged period is just plain nice.
And then comes the curse. Because the time is sacred, so valuable, so special, it is often allocated towards the enjoyable, the pleasant, the escape rather than towards the difficult conversations, the discovering,explaining and discussion of concerns. Often the conversations occur, but they are rarely resolved as the weeks and time that is needed to address them slowly and gently are not available. So these relationships can both prolong an unsuccessful coupling as well as prevent one.
I have seen long distance couples take the plunge, make the move, and make it happen. I have seen others prolong. The difference between the two? It reminds me of something my friend told me. His girlfriend asked her dad when she was young what love is and her father responded "timing."
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