Tag Archives: worry

A few posts back, I wrote about some of the benefits of long-distance relationships. You learn so much and come to appreciate one another in a wonderful way. But I would be remiss if I didn’t let myself have a pity party once in awhile, and as he prepared to leave tonight and drove away, I found myself desperate for him to stay and just be “normal” for a little bit longer.

One of the hardest things about living alone in a strange place is the lack of human contact. As I said in a previous post, when I walk in my apartment after a goodbye, I am suddenly overwhelmed with a sense of “too quiet, too empty, too lonely” (if you know me, this is rough going!). I can go several days at a time with minimal conversation, just because of the nature of my lifestyle. I know I can go out and about, but what I miss the most are the gentle moments of a hand on my face, laughter from the other room, the presence of someone I love next to me on the couch.

In light of all these fresh feelings, I thought I would compose a brief list of things one can enjoy when sharing time with a loved one–things that I especially miss when we are apart. I hope you will find your significant other and take a moment to appreciate the following things:

Calling out “I love you” from another room and hearing them call back.

Holding hands in the car.

Shutting the front door behind you and sitting down to relax instead of packing up their things.

Watching shows together and high-fiving at all the best jokes.

Having someone to help with cooking, the dishes, taking the trash out, etc…. 🙂

Getting a back rub and calming words when you are sleepless from insomnia.

This list could go on forever! I know that we are blessed to live in the 21st century, and we take advantage of all the communicative technology available to us as often as possible. But nothing will ever compare to having someone next to you when that’s all you’d need to feel a little better.

Thanks for putting up with my brief pity-party! What things do you appreciate most about your significant other?

This is probably the last post I’ll make from Nebraska. I say probably, because while I’d like to think visits to Mr. Photographer will include endless hours of dinner dates, cuddling on the couch, and him showering me with attention, the reality is…the guy likes his video games. But as of Monday, my permanent location will be Lawrence, Kansas. If I don’t already have your address, you should make sure I get it soon, so I can send you a “look at my new address and computer skills!” card in the snail mail!

Up until recently, most of my stresses concerned things like: What if I can’t talk to Mr. Photographer for a whole week?!; What if I get lost on campus?!; and What is the dress code in my office?! Now, I’ve focused my energy on more realistic concerns, like the general notion that I will soon be a graduate student and assistant, navigating the water on the other side of the desk, challenging myself academically, and being expected to advise undergraduates on major academic and life matters…um, what?!

“With great power comes great responsibility.”

No quoting of Spider-Man. Be mature.

I wonder when I’ll truly feel like an adult. Part of my issue is that I’ll always be a child at heart. The other part is that I remember my first year of undergrad like it’s a bad dream I had just last night. Since I’ll be working almost exclusively with first-year students, that will probably lend an ear of empathy to the issues I know they will encounter. But it also makes it harder for me to make the transition, because I don’t feel very removed from that time in my own life. Concerns like these are ones that will only be dispelled with time, education, and practice. I’ll get there.

Right now, I have a move to worry about. This will be the first time in my life I’ve lived on my own, paid monthly bills, and gone to work and class every day on a consistent schedule. Luckily, I thrive on habits, patterns, and schedules, so I suspect I will enjoy it for a while. The new scenery will be a distraction from some of the feelings of loneliness I know I will encounter. I know I have the right people in my life to help me through it, but being geographically distant from all of them adds a new level of nerves to the change. Having Mr. Photographer staying for the first week (thank you, Doane bosses) will be wonderful. Having my dad and him go at the same time, leaving me “all on my own” would have been a bit much for me!

Above all, I know that this next step is something I NEED to do. For my personal and professional growth, securing a future for my family, and learning everything I can (either a compulsion or a necessity, or both). On top of that, I WANT to do it. I am ready for new places and faces, and to begin to grow into a capable adult who is knowledgeable about and potentially influential in my field. I am an innately passionate person, but I have never felt so passionate about a life choice. I am certain I am meant to do this with my life, and through all the stress and worry, I am comforted by that thought. (I’ll refer to this post when I’m toiling over my textbooks on a Friday night.)

One minute I’m a bundle of nerves and can’t stop worrying about it, the next I’m enjoying my last few days in Nebraska, drinking wine with my second family and not even thinking about it. Then I get in my car and I can’t see out the back window, and the process starts over! I’ve learned a lot about myself and about others in the past few years of undergrad, and I am certainly ready for something bigger and better. But no matter how you feel about a place, there are things that make any change bittersweet. I’ll take a mental snapshot for my scrapbook. Life is waiting.