Long Distance Friendship: The Real Treasure In Friendships

Everyone has friends. Friends can be two or more people whom are always sharing stories with each other in daily life. This creates a beautiful bond between them. Honestly, I have a lot of friends who live far away from me. I rarely see my friends because of my working schedule and family matters. So, most of my friendships are long distance friendships. It is more challenging to meet our friends who live faraway. So, how does one maintain a lasting long distance friendship?

True friends are always together in spirit.

Lucy Maud Montgomery, A CANADIAN AUTHOR BEST KNOWN FOR HER NOVEL “Anne of Green Gables“

The Bonding In Long Distance Friendship

Long distance friendship is a special bond between two friends who live far away from each other. As an example, since I am from Ampang, Selangor which is a state in Malaysia, I have lot of friends who live in other states too. Most of my friends are from the southern region of Malaysia such as Masjid Tanah, Malacca and Ulu Tiram, Johor. Usually, friends always spend time together when they are close or live nearby each other. I miss my faraway friends so much that I feel guilty for not taking time off work to meet up with them. However, I am grateful that most of them understand my situation. Although we seldom meet, I appreciate their words of encouragement and support for me in achieving my dreams.

I am an introvert and a very private person in general. I prefer to have quality over quantity of friends. However, I am a friendly person when talking with everyone. Recently, I found myself quieter than usual as I was feeling down due to work pressure. My friends are willing to be there for me even when we rarely see each other. I treasure all of my friends because they are my second family. I love sharing my achievements with them and vice versa. We are from different backgrounds and possess different personalities but this is what makes our friendship unique. I realised that long distance friendship does make the bond of friendship stronger.

Reasons Why Long Distance Friendship Is The Best Friendship

1. Genuine In Friendship

Every one of us will meet fake friends at least once in our lifetime. Fake friends can lead to toxic friendships which are unhealthy for us. I categorise those who are dishonest and constantly taking advantage of me as fake friends. It is difficult to find a friend who is genuine. A person who is willing to be an active listener when you share your personal issues with them. And if we find a genuine friend, we will be grateful and appreciate the friendship even though we live far away from each other.

2. Always Got Your Back

True friends will always have your back no matter what problems you may face in your life. They will listen and understand you without judging you. When someone tries to bring you down, your friends will be there to protect you from negative people and vice versa. You can support each other even though you live far away from each other. Sending positive and motivational messages to encourage each other towards success is such a sweet friendship that everyone can ever imagine in their own life.

3. Spend Precious Time With Each Other

The distance from each other can be a deterrent to keep the friendship going. Trust me, distance means nothing if you know each other well enough. Absence does make the heart fonder. You will learn to appreciate the time spent with your friends when you meet them again in the future. During your time together, you can hang out at your favourite joints and do fun activities together like attending art workshop or attend a concert near the city centre. This will create a stronger bond to the long distance friendships.

4. Little Things Make You Smile

Have you ever thought about the funny moments with your long distance friends and suddenly it makes you grin like a Cheshire cat? This is a special bonding memory that you had created together with them even when you are separated by the distance. I always remember the moments during my school days with my friend from hometown in Malacca, Malaysia. Those memories are still fresh in my mind. My fondest memories were when I was studying in university: cooking with my housemates, girls day out at the mall and doing revision before the exams. Despite the fact that career and studies are now the priorities in our life, I hope to meet them in the near future.

5. Long Distance Friendship Leads To Exploring New Adventures

Long distance friendships can lead you to the new adventures in your life. If your friend is living abroad, you can visit the places of interest of the country, such as Japan, which is famous for its theme park i.e. Tokyo Disneyland. You’ll get to know about the culture, learning new languages, and appreciate the natural beauty when visiting your friends. More importantly, you can stay at your friend’s home and save on accommodation. It is great to catch up and update each other while staying under the same roof.

6. Rarely Fight Over Useless Topics

Some people tell me that when I argue with my friends, I’ll understand them better. But I choose to see the bigger picture. Time spent together with your friends is precious so it will be wasted if you fight or argue with each other. If you disagree with each other, it will be better to talk it out. I am sure honest and open communication is the best solution to dispel any misunderstanding. If you choose to remain mum on the issue, you will start to hold a grudge against your friend. Talk maturely and speak politely. Be mindful not to speak carelessly.

7. Long Distance Friendship Makes You Tech-Savvy

Surprisingly, long distance friendship can inadvertently turn you into a tech-savvy person. In order to keep in touch with your friends, you need to learn to use different applications and technology. For example, WhatsApp, Facebook and Instagram are the most popular social media for mobile phone when communicating with friends. For laptop and computer, you can use Skype or Zoom which are video conferencing applications to stay in touch with your friends.

Your True Friends Will Never Leave You Lonely

Your long distance friendship will never end even though you stay far away from each other. All you need to have is trust and communications in this long distance friendship. No matter what will happen in the future, everything is going to be alright as long as you are always there for each other for the long haul. Long distance friendship is a lifelong friendship and if you manage to stay in touch for long enough, it will last through eternity. You already found your lifelong friends that are very precious in your lifetime.

If you want to know how bonding can be strengthened between family and friends, take a read on this Christmas celebration story.

This article is part of Espoletta’s CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) initiatives.