Already There

“Can miles truly separate you from friends... If you want to be with someone you love, aren't you already there?” ― Richard Bach, One.

Lots of thoughts around the holidays, including those about ones we aren't physically close to but wish we were. Makes me think the quote is truer than we know.

Physical distance is somewhat overrated. I have married friends who live 500 miles apart and see each other every other weekend, which is spent running around visiting other family members. I have friends who are long distance truckers and see their families a few days a month. What works for them might not work for everyone, but who are we to say it's not enough?

We crave that physical bond. Reaching across the table to hold hands, snuggling on the couch. No doubt it improves relationships, but there's also the flip side: too much contact. I've written about this before. Sometimes it renders the touch almost meaningless. Routine. Boring. And yes, the dreaded "taken for granted." Absence of some sort does make the heart grow fonder.

I deal with physical distance from those I love daily. Doesn't make me love them less, makes the time we share even more special. Some of my dearest friends are people I may never meet in person. A few I have only met once, and may never again. I don't doubt you can be totally committed to someone from a distance: I feel the pull daily. Always there, on the edge of things, wondering if they're thinking about me while I'm thinking about them. I'd drop my life in a hot minute if the chance to be together arises, but what I feel is enough to keep me going.

But you know, being ALL IN helps with that kind of thing.