Long Distance Chronicles 2: Pandemic But No Panic

Being in a Long Distance Relationship (LDR) can be difficult when everything is “normal”. Perhaps you have a consistent phone call and visit schedule to help paper over the feelings of loneliness as you are hundreds of miles apart. But when travel is compromised and there is no end in sight, that becomes a whole new test for every relationship, but especially LDRS. This is an overview of how Nicole and I have continued to make things work as we navigate what everyone else in the world is navigating: a pandemic with no end in sight.

Time Warp

Oftentimes people exaggerate saying the days pass “so fast” or “so slow” based on the level of stress they may feel from other areas of their life, primarily work. The pandemic has compromised that by removing so many fixtures that otherwise take a lot of time for us to enjoy or participate or at least provide a temporary distraction, including gyms, going out to eat, movies, and parks. During this time, it feels less of an exaggeration to say the days go by more slowly. Furthermore, Nicole and I had gotten used to seeing each other once a month. We would alternate which months each person would visit so everything would be balanced. Our last visit was in mid-February, and because of this quarantine, it has now been over two months seeing each other. Some of you may be thinking, “that’s not so…