Last week the airfare to America fell unexpectedly into my hands, a gift from someone who, knowing of our dire financial straits, felt the time might be just perfect to repay a long standing favour - in cash. I did not tell Cas this had happened until I had booked my flights and then phoned her to ask what she was doing on the day I was due to arrive. She was slightly distracted at the time and answered that she would have to check her diary. I suggested while she was at it she might like to write in the entry "Pick up Helen from JFK airport"!
She was silent for a moment, then followed a rush of tears and her words "I can't believe I am going to see you again!"
Some might think me foolish to take what little I have and fly half way round the world to steal a few blissful weeks watching my wildflowers grow in the company of the woman I love. In monetary terms we have paid a shocking price for this love ~ a price I hardly dare think about. But after so many months so far from each other there is a part of each of us that is far more empty than any bank account could ever be! When one loves in this extraordinary way one must make extraordinary choices.
An Image From Our Garden
Thus far my dream to create a woodland garden in America for the great love of my life has met with limited success. Long distance love is one thing but long distance gardening quite another!
About Me
- Helen
- Dunedin, New Zealand
- My American partner Cas and I are a same sex bi-national couple profoundly affected by the inequalities of American immigration law. For much of the nine years we have been together we have been forced to live ten thousand miles apart. This blog is my very personal response to this situation. You are very welcome here and if you too live in this situation I would love to hear from you!
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License.
2 comments:
Helen, enjoy your visit to the US! My boyfriend and I had been dating long distance for almost five years. Before I didn't have a tourist visa, so he would do all the traveling, once every couple months, for three and a half years. Then I got my visa, yay!, after five attempts and last year alone I flew to the US six times! Besides the traveling, we spent one hour at the webcam almost every night of those three and a half years. Then I got a job offer here, and I've been living (and waiting for a work permit) since then. It should arrive any minute this week. Pray for me! I'll pray for you.
Anonymous thank you so much for your kind comments and your prayers! You have mine also. I am just thrilled to hear that the long distance phase of your relationship is finally at an an end. No more webcam!! Perhaps if you have a minute you might like to let me know when that work permit comes through. I will then raise a glass of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc to you both!
Kindest regards
Helen
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