An Ode to Long Distance Friends

Having a long distance friend is something most people will experience throughout their lifetime. As we grow up, move away, enter the workforce, and then move again, friendships are tested by space and time. And yet, very few are truly capable of maintaining long distance best friendships. The kind where someone knows every detail of your life: who you love, what keeps you up at night, your work drama, and how you’ve evolved throughout the years.

Long-distance best friends have the privilege, though from a distance, to see you grow into the person you are now. They witness you through the different phases of your life– the awkward, the triumphant, the painful, and even the mundane. They aren’t like your regular friends that you meet for coffee on random Tuesday mornings. You may not see them every week, but when you do connect, it feels like no time has passed at all. These are the people who understand your mind and know your soul.

There’s a quiet art to this kind of friendship. It involves being present without being pushy and checking in without obligation. It’s a delicate balance between being fiercely loyal yet independent. Being a ‘low maintenance’ friend doesn’t mean being distant; it means trusting the strength of your bond enough to let life happen without fear of losing each other.

Even with a 2,600-mile distance, there is a soul-deep connection- the kind that defies geography and routine. Wether it’s a voice note rant at midnight, a shared meme that says what words can’t, a three hour phone call after months of silence, or a quick one day stop in your city, the love is unshaken.

So here’s to our long distance friends; the ones that prove unconditional love exists, that connection can survive and thrive. These are friends who, no matter the distance, feel like home. Being with them, even briefly, feels like fireworks, or long sunset walks along the beach.

The point? Long distance friends remind us that true connection isn’t defined by proximately, but by presence. Their love endures not because they are close by, but because they choose you again and again, no matter how far the road stretches between you.