My husband and I are that couple—the overly affectionate type who enjoy each other’s company, day in, day out. Before you give us the side eye, hear me out:

Inseparable from the day we met, my husband and I never spent too much time apart; two, maybe three days tops. However, during the summer of 2016, an unexpected life event made our daily hustle and bustle come to a screeching halt. As I packed my bags, leaving our home in New York, moving to Atlanta to care for my mother, who was very ill at the time, I wondered how in the world we were going to make this long-distance thing work.

“And ever has it been known that love knows not its own depth until the hour of separation.” 

—Khalil Gibran

At first, living apart was very stressful. Once we came to terms with our situation, we decided to focus on the things that made our transition a little smoother. Are you in a temporary long-distance relationship? Fear not. I’ve got some simple ideas that I’ve outlined for you, ideas on how you can make it work, thus making your time apart a little less stressful.

First thing first, you’ve got to plan. If your situation is like mine, where you had to leave abruptly, it’s still imperative that you plan. How long will you be gone? How often will you take trips to see each other? Who will make the trips? How much will it cost? When will you be back together? Even if you didn’t have to leave abruptly, you should still ask and answer these same questions. Come up with a plan that includes an end goal. Don’t forget to be honest with yourself and to each other.

To plan, you’ve got to communicate. Be creative though. Schedule mandatory FaceTime or Skype chats. Send each other sweet text messages. Read inspirational quotes. Tag each other on Instagram. With social media, it’s easy (and fun) to reach out. My husband and I make a conscious effort to communicate every day, no excuses.

By now, you’re on a roll. Between planning and communicating, once you’re together, it’s time to do something fun! Once you and your significant other are finally together, pencil in romantic date nights, long walks; do the things that you loved to do when you were with each other. For example, when my husband came to visit, I already had a laundry list of things for us to do, including visiting art galleries, dining at some of Atlanta’s most popular restaurants, bike riding on The Atlanta BeltLine and much more!

Until everything is sorted out, you’re going to miss each other like crazy. Be grateful for the time you have. Having witnessed a loved one struggle with an illness was hard. My husband put my heart at ease. We were (and we still are) utterly grateful for life, for our families and for each other.

If you’re in a temporary long-distance relationship, I’m rooting for you. I hope these ideas will get you where you want to be—with your significant other. Secure the bag and plan to get back into each other’s arms. Talk, text and make every conversation with each other meaningful. When you’re together, do something fun. And folks, never ever underestimate the power of a grateful heart.

No worries. You’ve got this!

Author: Kadiyah Lodge
Email: [email protected]
Author Bio: Kadiyah Lodge is a graduate of Mercy College. Professionally, she has worked with children and young adults. Kadiyah is from Poughkeepsie, New York. In her spare time, she enjoys all things fashion and style, writing, drinking lots of coffee and taking road trips with her husband.
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