Expressing Your Love in a Long Distance Relationship

When you first enter a long distance relationship, the romance is live and kicking. Everything is so new. But what happens after months of being in that relationship, and the flame dies?

Long distance relationships (LDRs) require more effort than short distance relationships. I've come to find in my own experience and in reading the stories of other peoples LDRs, many find it hard to express their feelings across the miles. You can say "I love you" as many times as you want, but how do you really show it?

Those in short distance relationships have it easy. These couples can reaffirm their love for another with a simple hug or kiss. But what about those in LDRs?

We have it hard. What do we have? Words. We interact with our loved ones through phone calls, email, and instant messaging. Words. And not all of us can speak eloquently and capture our lovers' hearts. We do have it hard.

So we find creative and meaningful ways to share our love for one another. These include, but not limited to: homemade gifts, hand-made cards, poems, scrapbooks, letters, drawings, care packages, long distance "virtual" dates, personalized websites, there are lots of possibilities. The more creative, the better.

So when we do show our love, it is with meaning, not just a spoken "I love you." Sometimes it is with such meaning, that it can be greater than a kiss or a hug, those conveniences of short-distance daters.

There is a silver lining after all.

If your long distance partner has gone out of their way to express their love, and has done or said something so sweet your heart melted, please share!