A Long Distance Love Story

If it takes forever, we'll get there together

Sam and I, almost a year and a half into our relationship

Hi there. My name is Kaitlyn, and I am in a long distance relationship. My boyfriend and I have been together since April of 2011, and we have been in a long distance relationship since September of 2011. When we first got together, we knew that in September I was planning on moving over two hours away. We took things slow at first, but we then realized that our relationship had enough potential into it to stick it out. And so, we decided that we were going to try out being in a long distance relationship. Three and a half years later, we are still together, and are still very much in love. 

Being in a long distance relationship sucks. A lot. There will never be a time when I am grateful that I am not in complete control of where and when I get to see Sam. We have never been able to spend time together, whether it be summer, a weekend home, or a break from school, where we didn't feel as though our time together was going to end, and that we would once again have to say goodbye, and repeat the process again and again. Whenever I am sick, or having a bad day, all I want to do is see him, and I don't have the opportunity to do that. But I am not here to write a sob story about our relationship. What I am here to do is to say that it is possible to be in a long distance relationship, and to STAY in a long distance relationship.

There were people in our lives that asked Sam when he was planning on breaking up with me, because it seemed illogical for us to stay together while I went to school. His response was that he would not end our relationship over something such as distance. No matter how much it sucks not being together, we know that we are strong to do this, and that it ultimately is a good thing for our relationship. When I graduate from college over the next year, I will be moving back to Puyallup, and getting my masters degree in teaching from the University of Washington Tacoma. After four to five years of long distance, we finally we been able to be together when we want to, and not feel like we need to go back to constantly saying goodbye. At times when it feels like this will never end, we know that in the near future, the distance between us will be no more. And, I will have a college degree under my belt. 

The main point that I want to make with this, is that your independence as a person is very important. If there is something you want to do with your life, you need to do it. If there is someone in your life who wants to hold you down and not let you achieve your goals, then that person will never be worth your time or effort. Sam has never asked me to stay with him instead of going to school. He believes that I am capable of achieving my goals, and he pushes me to continue going to school and getting my degree. If he was not being the support that he is to me, I would not stay with him. I need somebody in my life who wants me to be successful, because that's the only way that I will ever be truly successful. 

One thing that has stuck with me for over a year now is a song by Landon Austin. His song, Ready for Anything, is unofficially the song that describes our relationship. Sam and I are truly ready for anything, because our relationship has strengthened us to be able to get through things. We have grown up so much in our time together, and even if it takes forever, we'll get there together. I love you Sam, and distance will soon not be a problem for us. It's just you and me babe. 

P.S., if you want to check out the song mentioned above, here's the video for it!