grateful.

This morning at 4:45am, I woke up to take {cv} to the airport. As we rounded our way into the terminal, I just looked at him and smiled. This scene was all too familiar. During our long distance years, those early morning flights were all too common. Truth be told, I was in college--and AirTran knew how to reel in a kid on a budget with $39 flights at 5:00am.


Though I would have never imagined it then, I could not be more grateful for those gut-wrenching early morning departures years ago. {cv} travels on a regular clip for work and I've come to relish in the peace and quiet of a night alone. Would I rather him be here? Absolutely. Is it absolutely amazing to watch The Bachelor, Girls, and Pretty Little Liars on DVR without blinking an eye? You betcha. 

As the years pass, I find myself increasingly grateful for the years we spent apart. My 24-year-old self would never believe my 27-year-old self was saying such a thing, but it's the truth. When {cv} leaves for a business trip or I go spend a weekend with my girlfriends, we are able to keep on living. Our worlds don't stop because we're not in the same place. The years we spent long distance taught us we couldn't live that way. Have you found yourself surprisingly grateful for something you used to resent? xoxo {av}

STAY IN TOUCH: INSTAGRAM + TWITTER + PINTEREST + FACEBOOK

23 comments:

  1. oh yes i sure do. pretty much the same exact thing.

    ReplyDelete
  2. what a great post... and coming at a great point when me and the boy will be long distance again!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I know the feeling all too well! My boyfriend of 4 years and I are finally living together after 4 years apart, but he's a Pilot so he's still gone 3-4 nights a week, but it's a welcome exchange from often going 1-2 months apart and living across the country from one another.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Wonderful post and reminder - that though we love our loved ones, it's ok to do things on our own too!!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I know the exact feeling! I wonder if we enjoy "alone" time so much because we had so much of it during long distance days, or we survived long distance because we were capable of alone time! Either way, I love both parts these days, together-ness and alone time!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I couldn't agree more! After doing long distance for a couple of years I am learning about not having the world stop when my fiancé leaves. Spending time with friends, getting involved with things in Boston help with not missing him but also feeling like there will be a great life for me to fold him into when he moves here this summer.

    Great post!
    Alana
    http://cheapchictraveler.com

    ReplyDelete
  7. I've never done long-distance, but I know exactly how this feels, married to a medical resident who works 80-90 (sometimes up to 110) hours per week. While he was in medical school it took a little while to learn to live my own life in the meantime - and now, while I relish the time we have together and certainly wish he had more days off, I love my friends and my own interests and my life in general... You're so right that when it's a long stretch (5 years of residency here), this is an important lesson because you have to LIVE in the meantime, and I'm grateful for it too!

    ReplyDelete
  8. That's exactly how the hubs and I are - a long distance romance will leave you with that! Although, after we just spent six months on the road together traveling across America, now we feel weird if we're not together all the time, haha!

    ReplyDelete
  9. I'm struggling with this whole dang long distance thing too. IT's nice to read your perspective, it's so easy to overlook it

    ReplyDelete
  10. Long distance is very hard- I've done it for many years as well- but it definitely makes you appreciate your partner and your time together. Great post <3

    ReplyDelete
  11. I am good for one night when my husband leaves for the exact reason you mentioned, sorta fun to have some time alone and relax with control over the remote. However after that I want him home pronto & most importunately safely!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Hindsight is an amazing thing. Sometimes you can look back and be so grateful for what you have! :)

    ReplyDelete
  13. Great perspective here :) And yes. A year ago was the roughest time of my life, and while it was certainly tough, it has made right now (the best time of my life) so much sweeter. Enjoy your alone time!

    ReplyDelete
  14. i totally agree, what you go through in your early twenties prepares you for life ahead! especially in a relationship! :) xoxo

    ReplyDelete
  15. I love to hear you say this. I travel for work about once a month. In the begining it was hard to be away but I have learned to enjoy my nights alone. I come home refreshed. You know, distance makes the heart grow fonder and all that.

    Hugs!
    Kara

    ReplyDelete
  16. GIRLS. do it. marathon that show and enjoy your YOU time. he'll thank you for watching without him! xo

    ReplyDelete
  17. yes! as much as i love road trips, i used to hate the 5 hour drive between Madison and MN when i was in college- seemed such a wasted of time and so tiring for such a short amount of time to be home. now that Michael and i live in madison again and make that same trip to MN to visit my parents, and i am so grateful for those 5 hours to just unwind and chat- it's time that no matter what is spent away from computer/phone/tv/other distractions that we can just spend together!

    ReplyDelete
  18. My husband travels at least 1-2 weeks every month for work and at first it was hard but now I love my alone time!! When he has months that he doesn't travel as much sometimes I get sad because I miss my girly alone time.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Distance really does make the heart grow fonder! I also think time on your own helps to establish independence, which is important in any relationship. This was lovely to read and makes me feel proud that other women not only value time alone, but embrace it.
    Isn’t That Charming.

    ReplyDelete
  20. I am a longtime follower of your blog, but I think this is the first time I've commented.
    I just had to say how spot-on this is. I remember coming here for the long distance stories with a happy ending when I was struggling with the long distance myself, and now that P and I have been together for half a year (time flies!) I've realized that all those years apart have made me appreciate many things better now. I totally get your feelings about spending a night alone every now and then. And yes, I'm grateful for the early morning road trips back home. There! I never thought I would say it!

    Thank you for writing this inspiring blog :)

    ReplyDelete
  21. Hey!I was in a relationship for quite along time almost 7 years, he cheated with a girl almost 11 years younger than him I took him back because I love him so much. He promised me the world never to leave me never to let me go to make me happy and to make it up to me everyday. 7 weeks later he has broke up with me after a few arguments .. he told me he can’t do it that I’ve ruined everything I deserve it all I’ve treated him bad he gave up his job overseas but he only gave it a week afrer he quit. he has left me in bits and is 1 week later out with other girls please help I don’t know what to do he is telling me he will never ever get back its over and he will never give it a go I have begged and I don’t know why I don’t no why he has done this to me I feel so lifeless… one day in my office going through the internet i saw a post of a lady giving testimony on how she got her husband back,i also come across a blog site on how to reunite and get your ex back with a love spell it was really amazing to see this so i copy his email id on http://happyspelltemple.webs.com/ i explain my situation to him and gave him all the details he requested from me, he give me 3 days assurance that my boyfriend will come back after the spell i was so overwal to hear that so i just keep calm and follow up his order coz i really love my boyfriend and want him back. on the third day after the spell as he promise me, my ex call me also show up in my office begging me to forgive him and accept him back with out no delay, i lift him up with a kiss and was so very happy to have him back all my happiness was from Dr happy he is indeed a true man a father and a god sent. plz contact Dr happy on his email id direct at happylovespell2@gmail.com or call his mobile number on +2348133873774

    ReplyDelete
  22. After being in relationship with Wilson for seven years,he broke up with me, I did everything possible to bring him back but all was in vain, I wanted him back so much because of the love I have for him, I begged him with everything, I made promises but he refused. I explained my problem to someone online and she suggested that I should contact a spell caster that could help me cast a spell to bring him back but I am the type that don't believed in spell, I had no choice than to try it, I meant a spell caster called Dr Zuma zuk and I email him, and he told me there was no problem that everything will be okay before three days, that my ex will return to me before three days, he cast the spell and surprisingly in the second day, it was around 4pm. My ex called me, I was so surprised, I answered the call and all he said was that he was so sorry for everything that happened, that he wanted me to return to him, that he loves me so much. I was so happy and went to him, that was how we started living together happily again. Since then, I have made promise that anybody I know that have a relationship problem, I would be of help to such person by referring him or her to the only real and powerful spell caster who helped me with my own problem and who is different from all the fake ones out there. Anybody could need the help of the spell caster, his email: spiritualherbalisthealing@gmail.com or call him +2349055637784 you can email him if you need his assistance in your relationship or anything. CONTACT HIM NOW FOR SOLUTION TO ALL YOUR PROBLEMS'

    ReplyDelete
  23. Hello Every One Out Here
    I'm from United States North Bergen(US). I read some testimony about Dr. Iyaryi on how he has helped people in bringing back there ex within 48 hours i was just thinking if that was real,And decided to call a lady who made a testimony and also dropped her number,So i called her and ask her about Dr. Iyaryi she said Dr. Iyaryi is a trustworthy man and he his ready to bring back my lover for me,i was just so happy and a little bit relief that my lover will be back to me soon,Then i decided in contacting Dr. Iyaryi which i did,And before i could share him my problem he has already told me what i came for,And he said everything will be okay within 48 hours that my lover will be back to my arms,So he said he would be casting the spell and that within 48 hours my lover would call me,So i hoped so truly before the 48 hours i got a call from a man who has left me for the past 6 years saying he is sorry and he wants me back,i was happy and i said i also want him back,Then i traveled to Canada to meet him up,And he apologized for what he has done to me now he proposed to marry me and we are both preparing for our wedding soon,All thanks to the great and World best spell caster, Dr. Iyaryi His private mail driayaryi2012@hotmail.com you can also add Dr. Iyaryi on whatsApp +2349057915709

    ReplyDelete