Sometimes spouses have to live far away from each other. Maintaining a long distance relationship is sometimes difficult and straining. What do you think are the main reasons for long distance relationships? What can be done to help couples feel closer in such situations?

Not being able to

visit

your loved ones whenever you would want to is often described as living a nightmare.

Although

no spouses would want to stay away from each other, life usually had different plans for them.

Firstly

, money is an issue. Spouses are forced to maintain long-distance relationships due to financial instability. Personally, my father works in Singapore in order to support us financially.

This

obviously has forced my parents into pursuing a long-distance relationship, and

although

they are not the best at sharing their problems with their children, we can usually tell that they miss each other.

Secondly

, the pandemic.

This

is more of a recent problem, but spouses are not able to

visit

each other as interstate travels are put on hold, and borders between countries are closed. Approximately a

third

of the immigrants in Singapore are waiting impatiently for the borders to open up so that they can

visit

their families. Seeing

this

affecting my family

first

hand, my father came to

visit

us for the

first

time in two years due to the pandemic, where

otherwise

, we would have the privilege of meeting him at least once a month.

Although

I've never been in a relationship in order to give any advice, I can take a page out of my parents’ book and say talking to one another using the phone, video calls whenever possible and making short visits can help couples feel closer. Spending quality time when visiting each other, and communicating through any problems can help maintain a healthy relationship in general.