I never used to appreciate long-distance relationships until not long ago… reason being that I found it hard to communicate properly and was always used to having people around me until I entered a relationship where we were physically close, but miles apart. It was then I knew the importance of communication. As much as I hate to admit it, one of the best ways to test love and loyalty is when a couple are miles apart. When you don't get to see your partner every day, but love them regardless. When you see people more kind, beautiful and loving than your partner, especially when they make you feel loved you might even think they will be better partners to you but then choose to remain with your partner.
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My mother will usually say (in Yoruba) telling me I love you to my face is nice, but showing you love me in my absence is way better. This means love can never be loved until it is tested. I'm not saying everyone needs to try out long-distance relationships, rather I'm saying those who are in long-distance relationships and are genuinely devoted to each other will no doubt make great partners. This is me countering myself some years back when I would often say, that you don't know a person until you have stayed with them, you can't say you truly love a person until you have seen their unpleasant sides, and the best way to know a person is to see if they have the guts to say to your face what they say in their fantasy world.
Maybe I am right, maybe I am wrong, but I think the main issue here is that we humans are so complex that we can form bad and good out of absolutely anything. Someone might suck so bad in a long-distance relationship, and end up being the best partner physically present. Another can suck at being physically present and end up being great at long-distance relationships. What's worse is one can be great in long-distance relationships and still not love their partner and vice versa. I think whether a relationship is distant or not, what justifies that relationship is the people in it and the decisions they make. A cheat is a cheat, and a loyal person is a loyal person.
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I also think loving someone is accepting them and supporting them while finding a way to be useful to yourself and them. If for example, my partner has to be distant for a while for something that would benefit them in the long run, my partner and I will need to find a way to compromise if we both want to be happy. Being happy as a couple takes two, and whether or not the relationship is near or far both can choose how they wish to be happy. There are a lot of reasons why people are for or against long-distance relationships, but for all these reasons I think the only reason there should be a long-distance relationship is out of necessity, something both are working to control in future. I mean, what's the point of loving someone you can never touch 🙊
