How do you deal with being far away from people you care about?

My closest friends live the farthest away. It does suck not being able to celebrate birthdays and the like. I make sure that when they do visit, I get as much face time in as possible.

Well, Skype, I guess.

I wish I could help. I feel like a cold person now. When I miss someone far away, I text with them like crazy and talk whenever possible. Communication is the key to aiding loved ones. That’s about all I have.

@boots You shouldn’t feel cold. You’re remembering that person and making an effort. I’ve had friends who stopped talking to me because I moved one state away.

@py_sue I try to remember everyone I’ve known (to limited success).

I live in South Korea, my mum lives in France, my dad and siblings live in England (and in different towns), my mother-in-law lives in Chicago, my brother-in-law lives in California, and I have good friends in Tobago, Scotland, and Australia.

The way I deal with that is by creating a space around me that I can call home, with photos, pictures and trinkets that remind me of loved ones. I try and keep in touch by phone and by email and text, and even by post. Although it’s slow, a letter is so powerful as it is something physical that you can hold. The paper, the handwriting, the smell; everything about a letter is so much more personal and thus contributes to a feeling of closeness.

I also do my best to remain open to new friendships, and cultivate them when they come along. Meeting new people and experiencing new things provides me with fodder to nourish existing relationships, no matter how far away the other person may be.

Oh, and I take lots of photos.

@boots It’s the thought that counts. :)

Web cam. It’s the next best thing to being there.

I just try to talk to them as much as possible. AS @eden2eve said, webcam is amazing. My boyfriend and I only got to be together for two months until we went to two separate colleges 200 miles apart. I hate not being able to see him that much. But we talk all the time and the best times are when we talk to each other on webcam (pretty much all we do now; texting and IM are so inadequate). That’s all I can do, really. I try to visit him as much as possible, but for those times when I simply can’t be with him, being with him on the computer screen is the next best thing. :)

My family and I all live in different states. We talk on the phone a lot and visit somewhat often. I don’t expect this to change. My dear friend is very far away; I deal with this by knowing that, somehow, I won’t be in this situation forever.

Right now, every friend I ever had and every family member I have live at least 1600 miles away. EXCEPT for my boyfriend and one friend from home who moved out here with me. It fucking sucks and it is really lonely sometimes. I guess I should clarify—it fucking sucks sometimes. Most times I don’t mind it at all, and I’m really happy out here and I think it’s mostly because my boyfriend is here and that makes me very comfortable and happy BUT….if we are having an argument, or I’m just having a shitty day, sometimes I do get very sad and I just want to lay on my kitchen floor and play with my puffy dog and talk to my mom. Or hang out with a group of old friends. But I’m still content 99% of the time.

Our daughter, son, grandchildren and great grandchildren all live 3,000 miles of away from my wife and i. we have constant contact with each other via cellphones and picture text messages. we miss all of them tremendously, but the cellphone really helps. just knowing i can hit one button on my cellphone and my son or daughter will be there. its also comforting to know that we have money on standbye to make the trip to them, if an emergency arrives and vice versa. i guess planning ahead gives us a feeling of security in this situation. it can work, if you make the correct preparations. but, nothing takes the place of holding your family in your arms, instantly.

My boyfriend and I have a fairly long distance relationship and so see each other about twice a week at the most. We speak on the phone pretty much every day but the invention of Skype made our relationship so much easier. He’s the only person I really struggle with being far away from. Of course there are times when I miss family members and friends but usually a phone call is all it takes to give me peace of mind.

i would hate every momment. my younger brothers are the ones i truely care about. and being far away from them where i couldn.t protect them would drive me insane.