He Said/She Said: Do Long-Distance Relationships Work?
She Said
Laura Carpenter
Issue date: 5/1/09 Section: Editorial & Opinion
Why relationships survive LDRs isn't exactly clear, but the reason may lie in the fact that these couples work harder at their relationships when they live in different places. They learn to share in each others' lives even while they're apart.
According to a Discovery Health website article by Faith Murphy, entitled "Making Your long-Distance Relationship Work," what you do before your partner leaves could make or break the relationship. Some steps you should take to keep your LDR healthy include defining it, practicing honesty, exercising patience and finally giving each other encouragement. Murphy makes it a "habit to always ask how things are going - with school, work or family - and then proceeds to encourage [her partner] in those areas where he is especially talented."
It's also important to involve each other in day-to-day life. With the availability of technology - e-mail, text messaging, free web telephone services like Skype and free web-services like Facebook and Twitter - keeping in touch gets easier. Also, making use of old-school forms of communication remains a wonderful way to keep connected across the miles. Whisper sweet nothings on video or audio-tape, take pictures when you go out or simply send your partner a love letter.
Long distance relationships work well if both partners remain invested in the relationship and take steps to insure it stays healthy. Remember it's all worth it when you're back together because absence truly does make the heart grow fonder.
According to a Discovery Health website article by Faith Murphy, entitled "Making Your long-Distance Relationship Work," what you do before your partner leaves could make or break the relationship. Some steps you should take to keep your LDR healthy include defining it, practicing honesty, exercising patience and finally giving each other encouragement. Murphy makes it a "habit to always ask how things are going - with school, work or family - and then proceeds to encourage [her partner] in those areas where he is especially talented."
It's also important to involve each other in day-to-day life. With the availability of technology - e-mail, text messaging, free web telephone services like Skype and free web-services like Facebook and Twitter - keeping in touch gets easier. Also, making use of old-school forms of communication remains a wonderful way to keep connected across the miles. Whisper sweet nothings on video or audio-tape, take pictures when you go out or simply send your partner a love letter.
Long distance relationships work well if both partners remain invested in the relationship and take steps to insure it stays healthy. Remember it's all worth it when you're back together because absence truly does make the heart grow fonder.
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