Holding on

It's been a while since Mike and I dedicated any time to our blog. Life has definitely got in the way. It takes so much mental and emotional energy to keep a long-distance relationship surviving, let alone thriving, that it leaves little for extras.
I wouldn't lie and say the marriage has not been facing some challenges. But we want to keep looking ahead and moving forward positively.
What I have learned through these last few months of being apart is that the most important thing is to be always sure that what you truly want is for the relationship to last forever; that must be unshakeable. And you do whatever you can to let the other be aware of that. No matter what it feels like in the moment.
So in those deep, dark moments when you want to run and hide and never have to deal with relationship "stuff" again, that's the most important time to pull out all the good memories and remind yourself of all the reasons you are in the relationship. And keep looking forward.
There are many other things that have come up between us these past few months. It's knowing that we want to be together that has counted. One thing is for sure, long-term, long-distance relationships is NOT a good idea. It is too much of a strain for any two human beings to cope with on a daily basis, especially when you are also dealing with careers and global economic insecurity, supporting young adult offspring and facing retirement.
It is time for us to start making plans to be together more permanently. We need to be with each other.