An Almost Goodbye

This morning my dad asked me when Kenny leaves. I told him, “tomorrow,” but I must have said it with a gloomy tone, because he asked me why I was sad. Stating what I thought was the obvious, I said, “because he’s leaving!” And then my dad responded with, “Well you’ll only be apart for a week, you’re seeing him next Friday.”

And then it hit me.

People don’t understand. Some people just don’t get that being away from the one you love is hard, really hard. I realize Kenny and I both choose to be in this long distance relationship; I understand that I could have moved out there as soon as I knew I loved him so we wouldn’t have to go minutes, days, and months, apart from each other, but I didn’t move.
Knowing that I’m going to see Kenny next Friday (I’m going out there for the weekend) only makes saying goodbye tomorrow a tiny bit less hard. Couples in normal (i.e. not long distance) relationships rarely spend time away from each other, but my relationship will always be based around countdowns, hellos, and goodbyes, so I just wish people would take our situation a little more seriously.

After I see Kenny next weekend we’re not quite sure when we’ll be together again. The (hopeful) plan is for him to come out for my brother’s wedding in July, but that’s not set in stone yet. Nothing ever is when you’re life is determined by the whims of the military. Other than that, he’ll be deployed in the fall.

Absence makes the heart grow fonder, but it sure makes the rest of you lonely. – Charlie Brown