Life lessons Long Distance Relationships teach you
Back in college, I was new to the whole girlfriend/boyfriend thing, let alone be up for an LDR (Long-Distance Relationship) (Yeah, I was a late bloomer. Geez! So many of us still are.) As my friends go in and out of relationships, got cheated on and lied to their LRD boyfriends, I realised I’d never been silly enough to get myself into such a puddle. And so I stuck to only dating a guy in the same city. Little did I know that he’d have to move away just three months into our relationship.
The mere thought of an LDR was enough for me to suggest we parted ways, but when you’re in your teens you think you’re in love and you’re not ready to give up your first relationship yet.
I’d be lying if I said the start was an easy ride. After months of seeing each other face-to-face on almost a daily basis, Skyping with a No WiFi/Poor Connection message wasn’t a child’s play. Add to it the pressure of performing well in academics and not having someone to crib (literally) didn’t help.
We eventually called it off and went on with our lives. And time went by and encountered various situations in life I realised how my LDR helped me evolve in mysterious ways. Not only in my relationships but how it also aided me in comprehending the importance and necessity of communication skills.
Below are the lessons(that’s what I’d like to call them) I learnt from spending months away from my then partner is that distance shouldn’t be a factor that holds you back from beginning a journey with your crush. But of course, long-distance relationships will thrive merely if maturity is present in both partners.
Appreciation
After months spent apart from each other, you learn to value each second that is spent together. You learn to appreciate them as a result of the effort and commitment given on a daily base when not together. You also learn to make the best out of every situation.
Value of special occasions
Reuniting after months of missing each other and planning what'll happen makes everything feel perfect, no second is put to waste. The romance never halts it just gets better.
Focusing on self
When in an LDR the focus tends to shift from spending each second with each other to working towards becoming successful individuals. Though this little achievement tends to go a little unnoticed it is important because it'll help us succeed as a couple. Being away from each other also allows you to discover who you really are and determine if that person is who you truly desire a future with.
Importance of suprise
With birthdays and special occasions celebrated over Skype and Duo calls, the element of surprise gets lost in the making. However, there are times when you go the extra mile and surprise them in person. Besides sounding super cute, this ‘lessons’ teaches you to never give up in life. It emphasises on the much loves phrase every cloud has a silver lining.
Trust
The last, but definitely not the least. If there is one thing you can be most thankful to in an LDR is the fact that you learn to trust your partner more than ever. There’s a reason he spends sleepless nights talking to you instead of sending flirty emojis to the girl next door. You're the one he wants to be with even if you’re miles away from him. Besides, you’d know if he was lying. And trust me darling, when I say you need to hold onto him.
While relationships can teach us a lot each of them has their own lessons to give. Every person takes away their own learning. But one lesson that’s a constant is that of patience. Not only do you learn to be patient you also understand the value of it.
Don’t forget to thank me before you go head first into a fight over why his phone was busy at midnight.
First published: 27 March 2018, 15:53 IST
