Part 9
Long Distance Hardships
The first week of life in college in Tampa was over! Now only four more years left …WAHHHH. Landon and Stephanie talked everyday on the phone. Between every class. Every break. Its a shame that there weren’t unlimited cell phone plans back then , so you can just imagine how crazy those bills were. But the distance was definitely taking a toll on Stephanie. She went to class everyday. Sat, focused with no interest of living college up. She didn’t care about the college life. The parties. The study groups. Nothing. She went to class and then went straight home. To say she was having a hard time with the distance is an understatement. All she wanted was to be with Landon, fishing, camping and eating Taco Bell!
In her apartment. Away from her friends. Away from her family. She sat feeling like she was missing out on everything! Tampa doesn’t seem that far now but back then it did. There wasn’t any GPS. Their phones were still Kyocera flip phones. The only way to get to a new destination was to print out the directions on MapQuest (remember THAT!!!) and hope that you didn’t miss a turn or exit. Landon had never driven on the highway. To say he was terrified of the highway doesn’t even begin to explain it. The thought of getting lost made his heart skip a few beats. So more and more time went by before they could see each other.
The frustration of having someone so close yet so far grew. At first the phone calls consisted of
“I LOVE YOU”
“I MISSSSSSSSSS YOU””
Eventually the phone calls turned into bickering. The distance wasn’t just taking a toll on Stephanie now it was taking a toll on their relationship. Until they finally hit a breaking point. During a small, insignificant argument. An argument that really wouldn’t have been an argument if it wasn’t for all the strain that their relationship was going through. Stephanie called it quits. Not because she loved him any less. Not because she was actually quitting. Because its what she blurted out in the heat of the moment. When she hung up the phone, she began uncontrollably crying. She could not get it together. She felt as if someone had knocked the wind out of her. She couldn’t breath.
Stephanie grabbed her bag. Walked out of work and never looked back. She drove to her best friends house in Orlando , went to the room, laid on the bed and she just cried and cried and cried. Her friend was in disbelief that they had broken up. Landon and Stephanie were a couple that she looked up to. A relationship that she hoped to one day have. Now it was over! Her heart was heavy. She was dehydrated from so much crying. The doorbell rang and Stephanie’s friend went to answer it. She came back to the room and told Stephanie it was a guest for her. With her puffy watery eyes. Red runny nose. Stephanie looked up at her confused. She got up, walked to the door and when she opened it there stood Landon. With a smile and said
“Don’t be crazy. Our Story is just beginning”
Those four hours that they were broken up were the most painful four hours of their lives. Stephanie began crying but this time it was out of relief. Relieved that there would be another chapter. Was long distance hard? YES! Did it try to destroy them? YES! Did it accomplish it? NOT A CHANCE IN H-E- Double hockey sticks!!!! God had already confirmed to both of them that they were made for each other and it was their decision, their choice, to move forward with God’s plan even if at times it seemed harder than ever. After every storm there is a rainbow. A sign of God’s promise. They learned that this was just a lesson of patience. An opportunity to see just how much they meant to each other. And before she knew it, Landon was ready to show her just how much she meant to him!
To be continued…..
Photo by KT Crabb
Just joining us? Catch up on Our Story
Part 3: In the middle of the storm
Part 6: Our First “I Love YOU”
Part 9: Long Distance Hardships
