Does Distance Make the Heart Grow Fonder?

He's a great guy. He gets my humor. He knows my story and I don't have to explain it again.

So why isn't this working?

Because it's hard to have a relationship with someone who is 6 hours away. 

There's only so much that FaceTime and phone calls can do to bridge the distance. Meeting every 3 to 4 weeks in person is good, but it's not the same as being able to stop over one evening for supper when you live in the same town. 

So this weekend I ended my romantic relationship.

We've pledged to remain friends and revisit the idea of dating in a couple of months. We've texted today just like we usually do, so I'm not sure we either one really want to take that step back. But the pressure of maintaining a relationship with someone that far away was weighing on me.

Can distance make the heart grow fonder?

Time will tell.

Cautiously Optimistic

The relationship with my friend from high school has continued to grow and blossom into something more.

My boys and I visited him over the winter break. He played tour guide for us while we were in Texas. It was a casual way to introduce my boys to him. Plus it gave me a chance to see if he had what it takes to put up with my boys.

He passed with flying colors!

When we returned home, my mother commented on how polite the boys were being. She knew we had been working on manners, but the boys had changed so much during our time away. 

It's because of my friend. He consistently encouraged them to speak kindly to the wait staff at meals and to me throughout the day. 

Could this be the person I've been searching for? He's definitely been a positive influence on them. If he had this kind of impact after 4 days, imagine the next 10 years for them.

I've found hope again just when I was ready to throw in the towel on dating. 

Long-Distance Limbo

The last couple of months have been strange. 

I've been talking with an old friend from high school. It's easy... the way I think dating should be. He knows my story and I don't have to explain the ugly parts. He's already heard them.

But there is distance.

He's closed to gap by moving closer. He's no longer 20 hours away but now 6 hours away. That's still a long drive.

Somehow I haven't noticed the distance as much as I have before with other relationships. Maybe it's the comfort level we have as old friends. I don't feel as pressured to be "on" like I have at the beginning of other relationships.

Maybe I haven't noticed the distance because I've been so busy with another semester of school. And knocking out my on-site hours. And taking care of my kids.

At one point in the semester he worried that he was distracting me from school. I was feeling bad because I didn't think I was giving him the attention he deserves. It's a strange new place to find myself...someone who thinks of me as much as I think of them.

Attempting to date long-distance is challenging. But this time I think I've found something that's been missing.