There is so much truth and beauty within this quote. You know this to be true if you have ever had to be separated from someone you love, and I’m sure we all have many times. It is an inevitable part of life that we all wish didn’t have to happen. This is especially true if you have ever been in or tried your hand at a long-distance relationship. It doesn’t matter if you find yourself 1 hour away from your beloved or 1,000 miles away – the bottom line is that distance is hard and quite frankly it sucks. But although it is rough, I am here to tell you that long distance relationships can be worth it all in the end.

I have been dating my boyfriend for almost two years now, and the majority of our relationship has been during college. We went to high school together, eventually ended up in the same friend group, and finally started dating by the last month of our senior year. By the time we started dating, we had both chosen to attend different colleges. We also just figured at the time that this would be nothing more than a brief summer romance. In fact, I was the person that thought keeping a long-distance relationship or one from high school in college was downright silly. But of course the right person comes into your life when you least expect it, and the summer before college was the summer we fell in love. We both knew what was coming – we were so excited for the start of college but also wary as to what would become of our relationship. As the summer months wore on, we became more and more confident that we wanted to try and continue our relationship while at different schools. I still remember the night before I left for school. It was a monumental one, no doubt. We laid in the back of his truck in his driveway and listened to music while we looked up at the stars (it’s one of our favorite things to do together). I was trying to soak in the moment with him as best as I could, and he didn’t realize I was crying until right before I had to leave. It was the first time I ever cried in front of him, and I am usually not one to show a lot of emotion around others. I hadn’t said it yet, but I knew that I loved him in that moment. I wasn’t sure how soon it would be before I saw him again, but I also knew the wait would be worth it.

Luckily for us, our colleges are only about an hour and forty minutes from each other. Some people don’t really consider this to be long distance, but after being only ten minutes away to a significant drive, it was a big adjustment for us – and it still is. No, we never have to go months on end without seeing each other like many couples, and for that we are grateful. But when you really love someone, any amount of distance is painful at times. The other thing that rings true when you really love someone, is that you will go to any efforts to continue to keep the relationship alive and well.

Of course, there are the obvious difficulties of any long-distance relationship. Not being able to physically see each other is always hard. Arguments are often more difficult to mend through a phone. Texting and voice calls can easily get old. Romantic gestures are very hard to communicate through a device or letter. But there are many benefits that you may not think of when it comes to continually being apart. You can find new, creative ways to stay close to each other. You can also develop some of your own interests while apart, and having some separate hobbies in any relationship is always healthy. You know the old saying, “absence makes the heart grow fonder?” It may be cliché but it’s definitely true. The longer you go without seeing your significant other, the more meaningful it is when you do meet again.

For my relationship, we figure if we can get through four straight years of on and off long distance, we can get through anything. Distance is the perfect test as to just how strong your love is for the other person. It has certainly tested my relationship, but nothing worthwhile is ever easy. So long as you keep putting forth the right amount of effort, and remain strong in your love for the other person, you can get through any amount of days or miles apart. Love is ultimately the one thing that truly can – and will – outlast absolutely anything in the end.