How Quickly Slow Time Goes
Today is two years exactly since my boyfriend left for Kenya. Looking back, I think, wow, has it already been two years? But then I think back to certain moments at the beginning where I was so sad and felt lost, and I think, yes, it has absolutely been two years and it’s time for him to come home now.
Not only have we survived the distance, but I feel like we have thrived. We are stronger, more open and love each other more today than we did at the beginning. I can also confidently say that I have never been in a relationship, before this one, where I have been more comfortable being as honest and open as I am with him. It was not always easy to maintain everything, but the relationship worked for us because of the daily communication, and we were fortunate that I could visit so much. At the end of the day, we love each other and are committed to each other, and I know that more than anything he is my guy, and I want to be with him, which is also a big reason why we have worked.
So what am I looking forward to now that my boyfriend is coming home? Everything basically–anything and everything. My bed will no longer be empty and I’ll have my partner in the same time zone. I’ll be able to speak with him in person, and hug him when he’s feeling alone, and be hugged by him when I am feeling sad. I’m looking forward to going to the movies, double dates, holding hands, dancing to our favorite songs in my living room, playing board games and staying up late at night together laughing. I’m looking forward to the next stage in our lives and continuing to build a life together, but now in the same place.
I just want him to come home now. It’s time. Luckily, he gets to come home in mid-December which is a couple months earlier than the normal schedule. It just worked out that way with his group, and honestly, I think it would be really tough to do much more of this apart time. It’s definitely together time now. So now that we have an end date, we are starting to make plans for the holidays and travel—and it’s lovely to think about plane trips that are domestic and the seats we book are not just for me alone, but now for two.
Lastly, I want to say that I am thankful. I am thankful for finding such an amazing man. He has been incredibly patient, kind, loving and supportive. He has been my rock and sounding board for two plus years, and I cannot imagine my life without him and the joy he brings to my life. Two years has been tough at times, but it’s been worth every single moment, because I have found such an amazing man, friend and partner. I found my person, and his time in Peace Corps has made me realize this more and more with each day that we are apart. I am grateful to have shared this journey with the love of my life, and more than anything I look forward to the life that awaits us when he returns home.
Thank you for your blog. My darling boyfriend, the love of my life, left for The Gambia exactly one week ago, with my blessing. I looked for hours for some sort of support and found only complete negativity concerning volunteers and their ‘back home’ significant others. Finding this blog really helped me re-affirm that it has more to do with the strength of those involved than the situation they’re placed in. The entry that really touched me was your description of your time alone when you visited him. I’m already planning my first visit, although ours will probably be about 6 months apart. I’m sorry I’m making this so long, I just felt so helpless, not being able to just call and make sure he’s okay and he has everything he needs. I know in my heart that this is all worth it, there’s no one else in the world that I would rather be with, and what’s two years in the face of a lifetime? Thank you for giving me some solace when things seemed so hopeless.
I am so glad this blog helped you! It helped me to write it and was my hope that other people might be able to use our experiences to help them with their LDRs, especially in the Peace Corps. Again, the key is absolutely communication!! You will be just fine!!
I just posted a couple new posts–hope they also help.
It does. It definitely does. Everything about you writing this thing helps me in a way that nothing else has. I am so grateful that I found this, I’ve read all of your entries several times, and I tear up every time, both because I’m so overjoyed for your happiness and because I’m so terrified of the months to come. We still don’t know where he will be permanently placed, so we don’t know what kinds of communication will be available to us, and I think that this waiting will probably be one of the hardest parts. But the reason that this blog gives me so much hope is that I can easily see through what you’ve written what our relationships have in common. In both cases, they are irreplacable. I love this boy so much, I could live for two years on my memories of him alone.