Love Socially Distanced

Distance Means Little When One Means So Much

"Until we meet again, hermosa."

Those were the last words he said as he pulled me in for one final kiss before I stepped on the shuttle bus that would tear us apart for the foreseeable future.

It was a whirlwind romance; the cheesy, cliché type you only read about in books or see on television. Our eyes met from across the resort lobby and we both just knew. Our souls had found their mate.

We spent the week of my all-inclusive tropical vacation virtually inseparable; long walks on the beach, dancing in the club, making love in the sand to the setting sun.

"I love you, hermosa," he whispered softly on our last night together, the ocean tickling our feet as it lapped around us.

"I love you, Miguel," I replied, holding him tight.

A large sigh escaped me as I reminisced. Tears streamed down my face as my beloved faded into the distance.

"If any couple can survive the distance and time, it's you two," my friend Danica said comfortingly. "I've never seen a love so strong and pure."

She was right. We spoke and video called every day for months, sharing details of our lives and deepening our bond as we grew to know each other in every facet of life. He walked me through the loss of a promotion, I supported him through the death of his close cousin. But as great as our relationship was, we both missed the physical presence of our soulmate. Those gentle hand squeezes, cuddling up on the couch, the lingering tingle of a kiss.

"Miguel!" I exclaimed, nine months after we met. "My boss just approved my vacation time and I've booked my flight!"

"¡Dios mío! It's really happening?! We'll be together again in just a few months?"

"We will, my love. I can't wait to see you."

Little did we know a microscopic virus would derail our long-awaited reunion.

"It's sounding like all non-essential travel is being cancelled. My boss said I can defer my vacation time for now."

"Don't worry, hermosa. We've waited this long, what's another few months?"

"I miss you so much it hurts."

"I miss you too, mi amor. It's just a few more months. Then things will settle, and you'll be back in my arms."

Month after month passed and my return to Mexico looked more and more bleak. My province maintained strict restrictions and the cases in Mexico were on the rise.

"I feel like I will never get to see you in person again," I sighed, staring at his handsome face through my phone.

"I know this isn't ideal," he said sadly, tears moistening his eyes, "but I promise you, we will be reunited soon."

"What if we're kept apart forever?"

"Nothing, not even this never-ending virus, can keep us apart. I love you, hermosa. We will meet again."

Always the optimist. I love this man with my whole heart. Time and distance will never change that.