Letter to the Editor: Long distance relationships

Photo by Marissa Pardo

Marissa Pardo

Recently, the Beacon published an article on long-distance relationships that left me a bit bothered and discouraged, especially since I am in a long-distance relationship of almost two years. I live in Florida and she lives in Michigan. We met through mutual friends over Facebook and since then have been inseparable, even when our family and friends were against us. Though I have to agree that a LDR isn’t for the faint of heart, I do question the source’s research on the topic.

Being in a LDR, it is almost imperative that some research be done for those who hope to overcome it and eventually break the distance. The author had stated that not many people are in LDR’s, however, this is false. As of late, 14 million people are in a LDR, including 3.75 million married couples, and these numbers keep rising due to the fact that the distance barrier could be broken by using social media, phones, and video/picture chatting.

I’d also like to add that 75% of engaged couples said that they have been in LDR’s and 10% of the marriages in the U.S. started as a LDR. Furthermore, in a LDR, the total percent of break-ups is at 40%, whereas 85% of local dating ends in a break-up. Although I don’t mean to nitpick at something like this, I thought that an honest opinion from someone who has “been there and done that,” might be slightly more significant, because a primary source is usually more valid than the source of an outsider looking in.

The reason the success rate of an LDR is so high is the idea of loving the personality before anything else. Not to mention the chronicle created through letters, cute gifts, the visits, the heightened communication skills, and the freedom that comes with a LDR. Many people enjoy this because they can work on their careers, go attend university, or get shipped off in the military, without the burden of feeling like you have to sell yourself short for somebody you love. I feel that an LDR really teaches people a lot about the foundations of love and that if you have love, then you can’t let distance destroy that. Again, for those who prefer local relationships, I wholeheartedly accept your choice. If you’d have asked me a few years ago if I’d ever be in a LDR, I’d say that it would be too hard for me, but here I am.

For those of you reading this that are currently in a LDR, you’re not alone, and don’t let any others discourage you or convince you that what you’re doing is wrong or downright ridiculous, because they won’t be reaping the benefits of your beautiful journey. They might not understand it, but that’s because it’s not their journey to take. Enjoy the benefits you may have and turn away from the negative, you might find that one day you’ll have a beautiful story to tell.

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