When people talk to me about being in a long-distance relationship, the
first thing that is said is “Wow I could never do that?” or “What is it like
dating someone 1,200 miles away?” To which I respond with lots of FaceTiming
and lots of flights.

I reconnected with Jazmine Alena Cash on Twitter on New Year’s Day of 2020,
we initially got to know each other through our love of rap artist Logic but we
remained friends for several years.

From the start of our relationship the road was clearly not going to be
easy. We started off living cities away to states away, making our families
aware that our relationship was anything but typical.

The pandemic made things particularly tough. The constant FaceTimes made our
relationship stale, we started arguing more and we would quickly run out of
things to say.

Part of our relationship going stale was on me, I feared being lonely. I did
not want to get to know my roommates because their idea of fun and mine were
complete opposites. While she was busy with family obligations to make any
connections in a new city.

She was not making any friends or going to work and living in a trailer with
her family wasn’t easy and I hadn’t met any of my friends at the Houstonian or
with the National Sports Media Association.

She had to learn things as well, like being a little bit more open with me
and learning to have a conversation as things from her past continued to play a
role in her mental health.

Our relationship got even harder in late January of 2021, Jazmine’s dad was
working for a pipeline company and finding work was getting harder.

So, the Cash family made the choice to leave Texas and move back home to
Nevada.

Despite the tribulations, we were determined to not let a bump in the road
break us apart. Throughout our relationship, we took advantage of cheap airline
tickets to visit whenever we had the chance. We sent letters and packages to
one another to feel more connected in a physical form and slowly the distance
became smaller in our hearts.

However, the distance could still be felt on the holidays meant to be spent
with your loved ones.

Valentine’s Day was especially difficult, but it did not mean we could not go
on a virtual date to make it seem like a date for the both of us. Long distance
might not be easy, but no relationship is. It is the time and dedication to one
another that makes relationships work.

I know despite the challenges; long distance is not a hindrance but a
challenge of the love you have for another.