Distance is hard and, due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, it has become a struggle that everyone is dealing with. However, I have been faced with a surprising new relationship amidst all this distanced living. Before having to leave Los Angeles and head home, I had just met a new and interesting person. He was sweet and funny and I wanted to know more about him. But, I thought that would all be put on hold, or even lost, when I had to leave Los Angeles, unsure of when we would both be back. Surprisingly enough, that was not at all the case and I found myself creating something very unique with this new person I was only now meeting. Turns out, distance may not be as lonely as it seems.
I was introduced to him only once before having to leave. I did not even have time to put a name to the contact before having my bags packed and in a car on its way out of Los Angeles. I was disappointed because I knew I could not see him and I did not even know his last name to find him on Instagram and slide into his DMs when I wanted to make a cute but private comment on something he posted (my signature move). Nonetheless, I barely knew the guy and so I was not quite “heartbroken”, just a bit disappointed. However, I got a text from this very funny and very sweet guy about a week after the whole evacuation ordeal. It was out of the blue, but is that not what makes it the more intriguing and adorable? I mean, who texts someone out of the blue, knowing they cannot see them and after knowing so little about them? Someone who has had you on their mind…exciting!
Before I knew it, weeks had passed and the texts had continued. Now, though, we were beyond texts and we connected through other things too. We sent crosswords to each other, played multiplayer games, shared recipes to cook, exchanged crazy dreams we had, and sent each other links to songs with no description beyond a “I think you’ll like this (:”. It was like a digital romance where the focus was on a personal connection. It was nice because, thanks to the distance between us, how much we cared about each other was transparent because we both, everyday, had to show initiative to stay connected. It was not as easy as it was in person where showing initiative was making an effort to show up to a party the other person might be at. We did not even have the luxury of showing we cared through a simple wave on Bruin Walk when we made eye contact while walking past each other. Everything was intentional, had thought behind it and meant something more when at a distance.
I do not have much else to report. It has only been a few weeks after all. Nonetheless, whether this works out or not, it has already been an amazing experience and I know I have another amazing person in my life because of it. What makes it even better is that I do not know when I will be back in LA and, even though he knows that I might not be back for awhile, we still talk as though we will see each other tomorrow. Do not let this pandemic be a pause in your life. You do not need to completely forget about what could have been and you do not need to do something massively productive. However, try to do something that makes you feel like a person in the world, not just a person in your own head, within the walls of your own house, or standing in line outside of Target, six feet away from the rest of the amazing people who make this world what it is.