I have been in a relationship with the most wonderful man I’ve ever known for the past two and a half years. He’s a military man. He has served eight years in the United States Marine Corps with a tour to Iraq under his belt. He is intelligent, ambitious, kind, funny, not to mention tall dark and handsome. He’s the full package; except for one thing… he lives 2,000 miles away. With Valentine’s Day coming up, this is a problem for us, having yet to spend one single V-Day together since our relationship started. So how do you keep your Valentine flame burning in a Long Distance Relationship?
Now, I know I’m not alone in the LDR crowd, especially among military wives and husbands who wait endlessly for their brave Marines, soldiers, sailors and airmen to come home. Experience has shown me that keeping a relationship from dwindling, long distance or not, requires communication, commitment, support, trust and most importantly, love. Not to mention a good web cam, which has often been credited for saving many LDRs, including my own. At this point, I would rather be in a LDR with my fiancé, than to be with anyone remotely near by.
I’ve used this time apart to become a better partner to my soon-to-be husband, by working on me. Although he misses me, and I him, after two years, he is still completely supportive of me moving to Orem from Atlanta to finish my collegiate career. It may seem selfish, but you can’t be good together without being good on your own.
Just because you’re in a relationship with someone far away doesn’t mean you have to be alone on February 14. Spend time with your family. Make a romantic dinner for your parents and celebrate their love. Go out with some single friends and have a guys/girls night out. Go bowling, see a horror movie or even have a nice dinner and tell your friends why you love them. Even better, show kindness to a stranger who may not feel the love they need. It can make a world of difference to someone who may really need it. Although it isn’t the same, I’m sure they’d appreciate it. Happy Valentine’s Day.
By Brielle Valyntin Alexander
