More Thoughts on Long Distances

Yesterday's contemplation on long-distance relationships focused on romantic relationships. Today I've been thinking about how different those relationships are from a long-distance relationship with friends. Like many of you, I left my hometown to go to college and have made a new life for myself here. I absolutely love Santa Barbara, and can't say I feel the same way about my old stomping grounds. I still love my family and friends, and of course regret not being able to spend more time with them; however, I have other things here to keep me extremely busy. Many of my old friends from back home have been my friends since childhood. We've grown up together and shared many memories and experiences; we've gone through important stages of life and have helped each other through the process of 'growing up.' But now that many of us have gone to college (without each other), we've all experienced so many different things in another important and transitional time in our lives, and feeling like we've missed out on each other.

It's amazing how many people will make an effort to keep a LD relationship alive with a boyfriend/girlfriend; it's a lot of work, but - at least for a while - it's worth it. Why, then, is it so much harder to keep up the same kind of relationship with people that we know will always be around? There are friends in my life that I've known for years and years, and no matter what happens, no matter how many years pass without a face-to-face interaction, I know that in some way or another, we will always be part of each others' lives.

When I was in a LD relationship with my ex, we talked on the phone for hours and hours every week. When it comes to keeping in touch with my LD friends, it's a whole different story.

Although I only live about 3 hours from my parents, I only make it home about 4 times a year (holidays mostly). My parents love visiting Santa Barbara because it's such a beautiful city, so I see them about every other month. However, I rarely see my friends from home...definitely not on a regular basis. We all have jobs and many of us are in school. Some of them still live at home, while others have their own places. Regardless of our different situations, one thing remains true: things have changed.

We all keep up on each others' lives (in a way) on Facebook, since it allows us to see everyone's status every day, recent photos, etc. Sadly, though, none of us make much of an effort to pick up a phone or make a drive to visit. It's not that we don't want to...life just gets in the way. I love my new life here, and don't necessarily miss my old one. But I will always love my friends. Whenever we are all able to catch up - either as a group or individually on the phone, however - we all know that our lives are changing at a phenomenal pace. I can hardly keep up with my own life, let alone everyone I care about!

Despite the fact that we don't get to talk to each other every day, or see each other every month, my friends are still my friends. My life will always be changing, and I hope that theirs will be, too. As much as I wish I could keep in close contact with everyone I know, the truth is that I can't. My friends know I care about them, and I know they care about me. I believe it is so incredibly important not to estrange anyone you care about, not to burn bridges, and always keep doors open. With this blog post, I'm making a promise to myself, and more importantly to my friends, that I will always find a way - no matter how small or insignificant my efforts may seem - to stay in touch with them. I want my friends to know that no matter how far away my life may take me, they will always be in my heart!