Love & Japan Part 3: Distance

Welcome to another edition of Love & Japan. Compared to the previous two editions, however, this one is going to be bit more reflective and serious as this is a topic I am sure most of us have experienced at some point in our lives: distance. While this one doesn’t pertain to love specifically, this post relates to those of us who have someone close or dear to us, but cannot see as much as we like due to distance or other circumstances.

So recently I met someone online who looked interesting based on their profile. For some reason, there was something about them that just attracted me to them so I made the effort to introduce myself and start talking to them. They replied back and introduced themselves to me too. From the beginning, I could feel that we had strong chemistry with one another and I really enjoyed talking to them. Eventually it got to a point where we made a plan to finally meet each other in person. There was one problem, though, we lived far away from each.

Regardless, I was serious about meeting them so I made the decision to make the long trip to see them. When I finally arrived and saw them, it was one of the best days of my life. They were more than what I expected and we had so much fun together the whole day. I could feel that we had a strong connection to one another. Eventually, the day came to an end because they had to go to work and we sadly said goodbye to each other. I was still on a bit of an adrenaline rush from the day’s events so I only realised how much I already missed them when I was traveling back home.

A few days later we talked about how it would be possible for us to see each other again, if not as often as we possibly can, despite the fact that I am a student that doesn’t earn a lot of money. Unfortunately, there was a bit of a misunderstanding between us and since then I’ve been feeling sad that I might’ve ruined our friendship before it properly began. Because I suffer from anxiety, this naturally led me to try my absolute best to mend the situation: from text messages to sending a long, heartfelt email. At this time of writing, I still don’t know where I stand in their life and I’m just hoping and praying that we can reconcile very soon.

So what is the point behind my story? Well, if I could summarise it into two words, it would be “DISTANCE SUCKS”. Throughout my time worrying about the future of our relationship/friendship, I kept wishing that things were different and that I had the money and time to see them. What makes the situation even worse is feeling that you are not doing enough to show that you truly mean what you say and that you are trying your absolute best to make the most out of the situation. As I told them when I met them in person, they are one of the nicest, most down-to-earth people I’ve met and that is why I’m trying to make the effort that I am to keep this relationship alive.

Being in any sort of long-distance relationship, whether it is friendly or romantic, is tough and requires A LOT of effort from both sides to make it work. While my long-distance relationship is only based on physical distance, most other people have to deal with the challenge of time and borders. That is why I say that it is important to cherish those currently in your life because you never know when they might leave you.

To those of you in long-distance relationships and making it work, I truly commend you for your efforts. If you are in a long-distance relationship, I would love to hear your thoughts and opinions about this and what you and your friend/partner are doing to make it work.