h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

And from everything I've heard, long distance relationships really don't work. I have it on my own as well as some personally well trusted authority. As in all things, though, there can be exceptions. I've heard precious little about good things coming from long distance relationships, but I suppose little is better than nothing. If you and your loved one can make it work than it's truly special. However, as I've said, from everyone I've known to be in these (including myself), I've heard that it's not worth it in the long run. I guess my advice on the subject is just be careful.

Hmm, may I take the opportunity to contradict you on that one? Thanks

Well, not really contradict - you do admit there are exceptions. Let's see...

I know a couple who met on the internet, were 'together' long distance for quite a while... a year or thereabouts, I think... and are now happily married.

Added to which, I've had a long distance relationship... US/UK... for nearly two years now, still going strong

So it *can* work... but, yes, you do have to realise that it's going to be *tough*...

I'm older, and ended up marrying my long-distance boyfriend. We've been married 28 years now, so it can work.

I should also mention that we had no internet to help us out back then, and long distance phone calls were prohibitively expensive in those days, so it was snail mail or nothing. Somehow we survived it.

I'm impressed

You're right, of course... relatively speaking, we have it easy these days.

Relatively speaking

Actually, you have no idea how good you have it these days!

Not quite up to 28 years yet (26 and counting) but we started with a couple of years' postal courtship between Somerset and Birmingham (100 miles or one day's bus trip apart). The problem with snail mail is that the evidence persists - there's a very embarrassing bundle of letters hidden in the loft.

I think we may have a box of those too!

A friend of mine had daily mail with terrible crossreferences and for and back philosophical discussions with his love... they were some 400 km apart... but the alpes blocked their way... is that an extra obstacle? I saw those boxes of letters... and they had internet... weird, ain´t it?

Not really ... even if you talk on the internet, and on the phone, every single day, a letter is something you can hold in your hand...

And sometimes you just want something *real*...

*wants to go up in the attic at home and find those lettes...*

Hehe...

Most of mine are at home, far too much stuff to bring it all to uni with me

But I did get a lovely package, all nicely addressed to Lord David "The Frog" Morgan... ... (yes, alright, we're a little odd )

I have just emails right now... we're too cheap to send snail mail.

Sad truth of the matter is that most relationships don't work - whether or not distance is involved.

Otto

Good point... it may well be that being long distance doesn't affect the chance of it working at all...

To be honest, I think half the reason that many relationships don't work today is because people aren't committed to making it work. They allow little things to get to them and to turn into mountains. I'm speaking more of failed marriages I know of among parents of my friends - just seems they weren't interested at all in working through problems.

The other half of the reason is mistaking lust for love... always a huge mistake.

Hmmmm...