Long Distance Learning 101

Hey Friend,

Lately I have gotten the question  asked as to how I am doing in my long distance relationship. Sometimes I am sure that people are just asking because they want the dirt, (there is none! I am a perfect girlfriend with NO faults and I wear high heels while I bake my apple pies for the homeless ;) Ahem. I lie... )  but sometimes I get the question like this one that made me stop and think about the answer. Thank you friend, (you know who you are!) who sent me this question, and now I feel compelled to share what your question has made me realize. 


"So, rather than asking you how your relationship is going right now, I want to ask you this instead. What are you learning from long distance about yourself? How are you becoming closer to God?" 

Wow, what a question, and I realized that I needed to do some soul searching. These last few days I have been doing just that. I want to share my response because I was challenged to rethink  how a relationship should be. 

Things that I have learned about myself:

1. That I am a lot more emotional than I thought. Ha! I cry more, I listen to those sappy songs that before I never ever would be caught dead listening to... because it's awkward... But now, T,-Swift kinda has a point! ;) 

2. That I am selfish with my time, my energy, and  pretty much everything. I say this not to bash myself or to make myself a target, but really, once you are in a relationship you notice very quickly that you can either have a relationship that takes or gives and receives. When you aren't dating, you can focus more on self that way and it is more appropriate, where as when you are dating someone, you want to put the other person first.  
3. That Skype really is something that I appreciate now- it is better than facebook and you kinda sorta feel like you are with that person. 
4. That I actually am a sap. Like a big sap sucking tree sap kinda sap. I got flowers at my doorstep and literally jumped up and down. It was just such a great surprise!

Good things about long distance:

1. You learn to be creative with expressing yourself. Letters, phone calls, skype dates, songs, etc. Seriously-- when else are you forced to be this creative? Pinterest has helped me so much! Haha!
2. Seeing the other person again is sooo much more thrilling! You get all hyper and jittery and then when you see them you feel like a million bucks,( until you trip and fall which happened in my case when seeing Adam again-- awkwardly funny ;) )
3. You are forced to talk more than to act on impulse. 
4. You are able to focus more on family and loving them, and making friends and such.
5. It makes you more grateful for the little things, which is always a big bonus.

6.The biggest thing though is this;You can't depend on the other person as much for the every day stuff and have to focus on your relationship with Christ more. Long distance is hard, and you get sick of it quickly, but God and I are closer because I have to be honest and focused on the #1 instead of someone who could quickly become #1 in my mind. Boyfriends are great, and I think mine is pretty great, but long distance helps you focus on what's what. 

God first is always the priority. Boyfriends are great, but not as great as the One who sends you love notes and tough truth every moment that you ask for them.  

Your hippy friend,

Summer