This year, Valentine’s Day looks a little different for me. In fact, it is unlike any I have had before— single or in a relationship.
I’m currently in a long-distance relationship. Honestly, I never imagined I would be capable of that, and I sure as heck never wanted one (until my boyfriend, obviously…but even then I was extremely hesitant.) In the past, one hour’s worth of distance was enough for me to break things off. Now, my boyfriend lives in another country– Costa Rica.
My mother’s home country, I’ve always loved traveling there and learning about my culture. It is one of my favorite experiences to write and talk about. When I caught feelings for my boyfriend– a close family friend, at that– I told myself it’d be way too difficult to maintain a relationship thousands of miles away. Who wants to have a relationship through a phone, anyway? I suppose, vale la pena…it is worth it, once I found someone I truly wanted to be with, no matter the distance.
With Valentine’s Day approaching next week, I’ve been brainstorming ways to celebrate and show my love despite the distance. Although I won’t reveal the surprises I have up my sleeve (in case he translates this article!) I can say that planning to celebrate Valentine’s Day in a long-distance relationship has made me realize that the chocolates, flowers, and grand romantic gestures aren’t what truly demonstrate love.
The material things matter so much less than we think they do. My boyfriend and I are not able to send each other physical gifts, but being far away has made me enjoy the moments we do have together more than I could possibly enjoy any tangible present.
Although I hope we can spend Valentine’s Day physically together one day, I know that the physical distance does not affect the love we have for each other… it just makes us express it in creative, non-traditional ways.