I know that lately lots of teens and adults have made friends over the internet and many don't live nearby. People see distance as something that can ruin many potential friendships, however, there are plenty of benefits that make long distance friendship as good as, or maybe even better than regular friendship.
The idea of hanging out with your long distance friend could be one of the benefits to your friendship. It seems like something that couldn't ever happen, but it could eventually. Your friend can either come visit you or you can go visit them if you/they procure the money.
Another thing that can benefit you guys is the space. Whether you believe it or not, space can help a friendship. I'll mention this again later, but absence makes the heart grow fonder.
With you guys being far from each other, it will help you grow and also bring you closer in ways you couldn't even imagine. The phone calls and the texts may not feel like enough at first, but before long you can learn to appreciate whatever you get. That's when you truly know it's worth it.
Me and My Best Friend
I'd like to talk about my similar situation today. One of my best friends lives in Wyoming and I live in Oklahoma and that's been hard on our friendship since we don't see each other anymore. Despite that, me and my friend, whom I'll call P, have an amazing friendship and a mutual respect towards each other.
P is originally from Wyoming. Her mom grew up there, so her kids did to until about 2013. I've known P since she was in 3rd grade.
I met her and her sister the same day. Though P was young, I could see all kinds of light in her. It wasn't until my junior year of high school that me and P actually became friends.
We bonded over having similar issues and our love of art. She became someone I would tell everything to. She knows more about me than my cousins do and that's quite hard to accomplish.
She was the first person I told when I became a writer here. P has always supported me and I don't know what I'd do without her.
Me and P were talking practically every weekend. I'd tell her about how far I'd get in video games and she'd tell me about her latest conquest. We became so close that we even took pictures together at homecoming. They were on her phone though, so I don't have them, but that was still a great night for me.
P has more life experience than I have even though she's 15 and I'm 17. She's been to parties and stuff, while the closest I've been to getting into a party was getting the invite. She gives me advice about things that I haven't done, which is honestly quite helpful.
It's genuinely less embarrassing than I thought it would be. She's been there to help me for the past 8 months and I wouldn't trade that time for anything.
P moved back to Wyoming last month. That isn't a long time, but it's still decently hard on us. It is going to be different not seeing her in the halls or her smiling at me when I stop by some of her classes, but it's not like I'll never see her again.
There's still a way to see her, whether it be up close and personal or over the phone. I know I'll see her again and I'll give her the biggest bear hug imaginable.
P has assured me that she will do her absolute best to be at any event she can attend at my school so we can see each other, so I have no doubt that I'll be seeing her in the very near future. She's like my muse, no matter how far away she is, I'll always be inspired by the thought of her. P is everything I've ever wanted to be, and I'm beyond blessed to have her in my life.
I still hear her laugh at me when my voice cracks. I keep those memories really close. P is the best thing that ever happened to me.
She made me a better version of myself. She's shown me how to appreciate not just myself, but others and for that I'm truly grateful. P truly is everything that I've ever wanted to be and I hope one day I can be half the person she is.
She's selfless, kind, beautiful, smart, funny, courageous, and beyond confident. She's a goddess. I hope I get to stay by her side for a long time.
We make each other into people that we need to be to survive and thrive. She's my muse. She gives me a reason everyday to get up and smile.
I don't know what I'd do without her. She made me into the person I am today and gave me the confidence to be a writer for this team. She truly is my everything.
This is hard for me, but this isn't the first time one of my friends has moved far off. I have friends all over this country due to plenty of circumstances and I've gotten used to making due with the situation.
Distance shouldn't change the love you have for a person. Whether they be in a different country, state, or even a whole other continent, as long as you make an effort, that friendship can maintain its love and respect.
There's many different ways you can still communicate with friends that aren't in your proximity. You can write an email or a letter to them. Me and P have been snapping back and forth since she moved, so social media is also an exceptional way to keep in touch. Google Duo or Facetime are two other options you can have to stay close.
See? Distance doesn't destroy the friendship. They do say that absence makes the heart grow fonder right?
That means even though they're gone you develop a higher admiration for the person who isn't there. They may not be with you physically, but they're always with you in your heart and on your mind. Love conquers all right?
Honestly, I think this could be a great experience for me and P. Time apart can offer a chance to grow in ways that we haven't before. It's my senior year of high school now.
It's her freshman year. We're going to go our separate ways and show new sides of us that no one has ever seen. This could really do amazing things for us both, and I hope it does. I wish the best for P in her "new" environment.
To be honest with you guys, it's definitely worth it in the end. P may be far away but we still talk a lot and most definitely love each other very very much. Physical distance is nothing compared to a massively close bond.
