Ideally, we all want to be close to our spouses, but this isn’t always the case. Here’s how to keep the romance in a long distance marriage alive.
Sometimes the demands of work, school, or family keep us apart from our loved ones.
Have you been stationed overseas for a period of time? Or do you need to be away from home for extended stretches due to family responsibilities?
Either way, you need to keep the flame alive between you and your beloved.
Luckily, technology makes it easier to be separated from one’s partner. There are lots of new ways to stay connected in a long-distance marriage, as well as some tried and true methods that have worked for centuries.
Let them know you miss them with these effective gestures. They will certainly help the heart grow fonder.
Regular Calls
When you and your partner are separated, it’s especially important to coordinate regular communication. Set aside a day and time touch base weekly, or even daily.
It’s romantic to whisper sweet nothings into each others’ ears in the morning, or as you fall asleep at night. Coordinate time differences so you can begin or end the day with an “I love you.”
Respect each other’s schedules as well. If you have chosen to live apart for professional purposes, let your partner focus on the job and keep phone calls to the scheduled times.
Zoom and Facetime
Everyone has learned new ways to communicate love long distance during the pandemic using online platforms like Zoom, Skype, and Facetime.
It’s terrific to see your spouse’s face, smile, and eyes while you talk! The delays in these digital apps sometimes make conversation awkward. Still, lovers can find all sorts of innovative ways to show their affection this way.
Why not Zoom while you both take candlelit baths? Or watch a romantic movie together? You can even work out or go for a run together on your phones!
Bouquets
If you’re a long-distance couple, why not rely on the time-tested method of showing your love: sending a bouquet of beautiful flowers?
No matter where your honey is in the world, you can arrange for international flower delivery. Nothing makes the heart beat faster than the scent of exotic blooms and the colors of blossoming buds—except the presence of the actual person.
When you can’t have that, flowers are the next best thing.
Texts and Emails
What if your phone plan is limited, the time difference is extreme, and your schedules mismatched? You can still stay in touch by writing texts and emails.
Send your loved one funny memes which will remind her of favorite times you shared together, or inside jokes you have.
Send sexy texts and let your inner poet flow as you compose romantic emails. Just be sure you keep all sexy talk on your personal email accounts!
Handwritten Letters
Every long-distance relationship in the past relied on the traditional means of showing you miss them: the handwritten love letter.
Whether it was Hamilton and Eliza, Frida Kahlo and Diego, or Oscar Wilde and “Bosie,” letters from the heart stand the test of time as a legacy to passion.
Scent the stationery with your favorite cologne and seal it with a kiss. Your lover will tuck it under his pillow and dream of you until you’re reunited.
Plus, when’s the last time you received an actual letter in the mail?
Photographs
Enjoy your experiences apart by sharing photos in real-time. If you are traveling and see a beautiful sight, snap a picture and shoot it over to your spouse. They will feel like they are right there with you.
You can also share sexy selfies, although again, make sure all your privacy settings are intact.
If you have the kids or the dogs, remind your far-off love what it feels like at home with pictures of these cuties waiting for their return.
Gifts from Abroad
Whether you are visiting Tokyo or Topeka, everyone likes a souvenir from their loved one’s travels. It makes you feel like they were thinking of you.
Pick up a box of special cookies you can only find in that city. Ship a box of candies or wine from wherever you are and promise you will enjoy it together soon.
Make the Most of the Time Together
When you are in a long-distance relationship, you will get chances to reunite. It may be on weekends, or it may be only three or four times a year.
It’s important to make those reunions special.
When your lover has been away from home for a long time, do not inundate them with tasks and social responsibilities. Schedule some alone time where you can just be together, without family distractions.
Don’t book a fancy hotel, either. Your loved one may have been longing for home and be unwilling to pack another bag.
Give yourselves both time to adjust. It can be different seeing someone every day when you are used to being apart.
Visits
If your partner has a year-long assignment in Paris, why not plan a trip there for the holidays?
If your loved one is in the same country, you may be able to arrange for more frequent visits on weekends. Or perhaps there is a fun city where you can meet in between.
It’s important to have a physical connection every once in a while when you are geographically separated.
The End Game
Some couples live apart for a year so one of them can take advantage of an important career opportunity. Others choose to live apart indefinitely because it works for them.
Just make sure you are both on the same page. Whether you both want to maintain separate abodes or have a plan of eventual reconciliation, you both need to know what the expectations are so that one person is not desiring an outcome that the other does not want.
Long-Distance Marriage: Keeping Love Alive
In a long-distance marriage, both parties must let the other know that they miss them and love them.
Whether you choose to do this by modern technology or the traditional choices of flowers and love notes, just be mindful of letting your beloved know how much you care.
For more tips on keeping the spice in your life and your love, keep checking back for our latest posts.
