When you think of LDRs, it's natural to first consider romantic relationships, but I'm expanding the concept to include the modern-day long-distance relationships we maintain with our parents. I have been in a long-distance relationship with my boyfriend (now husband) for the past 7 years and looking from a purely financial angle, we have spent a total of INR 6 to 7 lakhs on our meetups alone, excluding any vacations or shopping I did before we met. I am not sure about the same city relationships (as I have never been in one :P). LDRs are tough, there are times when you just want to go and meet that person, you just want to be with them. I think what keeps it going is just the commitment you make to yourself that you want to stick with that one person (this is true for marriage as well). While we were in long-distance relationships, we ensured that whenever we met, we had the best experience, we stayed in top-notch hotels, ate from five stars, and spent our hearts out. we always had the excuse that we deserved this since we hadn't met for so long, and it was like a reward for all our hard work. Over time, long distance became a norm for us, we became used to it and then there were our careers to keep us busy. What worked in our favour was the fact that both of us were very busy either with studies or jobs. We had our rough times and fights, but somehow we sailed through it. Humorously enough, after so much time, the idea of starting anew with someone else seemed like too much effort. Looking from an emotional angle, yes you miss out on the little things like the feeling of having the person with you when you just come home after a long day or enjoying common activities right when you need them most. This feeling doesn't hit you on all days, just some days, especially when you have recently parted, it hits harder. On regular days, you establish a routine for yourself. you also figure out stuff that can you do together even after being in a long distance such as watching a movie together at a watch party, listening to songs together on iTunes, and more. it works but you know the difference between a Teams meeting and a face-to-face meeting?! So overall, LDRs do cost both financially and emotionally. But in the end, it's just a thing. If you are really into that one person, it won't matter how far or near you are :)
Switching gears to another type of long-distance relationship (LDR)—the one we often have with our parents. I hail from a tier 3 town and have been living away from home since I was 16. The lack of educational opportunities and job prospects in my hometown made leaving a necessity, a sacrifice many of us make for better education and career opportunities. Typically, there are a few options to maintain proximity to the family: running a business in your hometown, securing a full-time remote job, or, if you’re fortunate, landing a job in a metro city close to home. If none of these options are feasible, you might find yourself in a situation similar to mine. In such cases, one potential solution is to bring your parents to live with you. However, this isn't always ideal as it requires them to leave their comfort zone at a stage in life when they wish to settle into it. The emotional strain of managing living arrangements with ageing parents can be very challenging. While I haven't yet found the perfect solution to this dilemma, I remain hopeful that with time and innovation, more viable options will emerge to help bridge this gap.
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