Ah Valentine’s Day… the day of the year that has always sucked, because I’ve always been single for it… except this year. Problem is, it almost seems to suck more this year, because now that I finally have a valentine, of course he has to be 4,370 miles away from me!
My boyfriend, Alex, and I started dating at the Colleges shortly after Valentine’s day almost a year ago, and our relationship has been going strong ever since. Even despite the fact that he is studying abroad in Budapest, Hungary this semester, we have made it a priority to keep each other in our lives. Not that it hasn’t had its ups and downs, and not like I don’t miss him like crazy every single day, but the struggle to keep emotionally close (even when we are so far away) always feels worth it at the end of the day.
With Valentine’s Day and our anniversary coming up, I’ve been feeling an odd mix of emotions. It seems like all of popular media right now is blasting in my face the thing I want, but can’t have. Of course, the key here is to remember that I do have all that I’ve ever wanted, a person who is able to love me and support me no matter what. I just don’t have it in the traditional sense as of right now, and that is something that I am slowly getting used to. The beauty here is, that through this whole long-distance thing, we are proving that our love isn’t just skin-deep. That while I would give anything to have a Valentine’s Day kiss from him, it isn’t the only way I can show him how much I care.
Valentine’s Day for me, it going to be a mix of bitter sweet. Bitter to see all those couples holding hands and sharing gifts, but sweet to know that in a year that will be me and Alex. Sweet, because we will text each other sweet things like we always do (and maybe a cheesy online Valentine’s Day card or too) and have the most romantic FaceTime video-date anyone has ever seen. Sweet because I’ll be thinking of him all day, just like I always do, and be glad that I have him in my life, despite the distance. And when Alex finally goes to bed (around 6 pm our time), I’ll be spending the evening eating sweets and laughing it up with my best friends instead, because I’m just as lucky to have my girls in my life too.