by K Lochery

Created on: March 24, 2009

People have many views of long distance relationships, both good and bad. Some people think that there is no way that one can work, and others are very happily involved in one as we speak. The thing you need to think is, every situation in this world has pros and cons. The trick is finding them and working out if one out-weighs the other. Which is what I am going to try and do right now.

The good points that I can think of for being involved in a long distance relationship are:

Space - Being in a long distance relationship means you have both the space and time you need to develop yourself as a person. There is no "morphing" into one that some couples experience, where you start wearing his and hers clothing and changing your likes and dislikes to suit the other. When apart from your loved one, you can be an individual. This lifestyle forces you to have a life of your own and not wait on your partner, hand and foot everyday. Sometimes, being on your own is just as essential as being with a group of people, or even one person. You have the time to work out what your goals are in life and chase after them, instead of settling for anything that comes along.

A Peaceful Life - Have you ever lived with someone and had that constant row over them leaving their dirty clothes all over the bedroom floor, or wet towels in the bathroom? Well, in a long distance relationship, you only have to put up with this for a small period at a time, and that is whenever the two of you are together. Generally, you would expect to have less arguments in a long distance relationship, simply because of the fact you are not together and living out of each others pockets.

Time for Friends and Family - When in a relationship, sometimes you can feel yourself torn between spending time with your partner or spending time with your friends/family/work colleagues. When you and your partner are spending more time apart than together, you have the opportunity to enjoy the company of others more and not feel guilty for not leaving one or the other behind.

Time Together - Because the two of you are apart for so often, you tend to cherish the time that you do get to spend together. Instead of focusing on their flaws, you appreciate them as people and try not to have arguments because it will spoil the occasion. The time you spend together is cherished, and because it happens so little, you make more of an effort for your loved one.

All in all, I would have to say that there are some pretty amazing reasons for wanting to be in a long distance relationship, but after all that, you have to say I have missed the most important reason of all! The fact that you love another enough to be able to give it a try. If you have been in a relationship for some time before the distance occurs, you can find yourself torn between the decision to continue with the relationship, or leave it all behind. Whatever choice you do decide to make, make sure you are doing it for the right reasons, and enjoy your life, whether it be as part of a couple, or alone.

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