Dear long-distance loved one,
In the midst of this global pandemic, I miss you.
COVID-19 has brought up a great deal of fear and uncertainty for us all. On top of that, it has resulted in all relationships of all kinds now being long distance, a struggle we know all too well already.
Being apart from you, someone I love, is a challenge in and of itself. The hope of reuniting has gotten me through some of my darkest days.
But now, with health risks and travel bans, canceled flights and erased countdowns, it is even more difficult to hold onto any thoughts of the future we will experience when we can make no promises of when that will be.
On top of the fact that we can’t plan when we will next see each other, there are other barriers to feeling close due to coronavirus. The closure/delay of many non-essential businesses has impacted us and our long-distance connection as well.
Now, there are longer shipment times on platforms such as Amazon that deter me from sending you special surprises, and restaurant closures preventing me from sending you your favorite meal to brighten your day.
These little conveniences that made the distance feel just a little smaller were things we took for granted. Now that we are so limited in how we can reach each other except through a screen, we realize how much we took those modes of connection for granted.
Once this is all over, I doubt we will ever forget how much those seemingly small ways of reaching out truly mean.
But while so much is limited in this uncertain time, our love is not. And at the end of the day, that is all that matters, and something that no pandemic can ever eradicate.
We are allowed to mourn the lost time, the plans made, and the lack of physical proximity and rise together, hand in hand.
Living and loving through this global pandemic has truly shown me the strength of our bond, my loved one. It has taught me that no matter how many miles away from someone you are or what you face together, there is always a way to navigate through it together, and to show up in the face of adversity.
I cannot wait for the day when the borders open, the restrictions are lifted, and we can finally have the hug we have been waiting for for so long.
I’ll be waiting with open arms.