The temptation to stray in a long-distance relationship

If relationships dangle on thin threads of trust and commitment, then the temptation to stray is inevitable. Mere proximity of your partner cannot assure you hundred percent honesty and fidelity. However one cannot deny the fact that seeing your partner on a daily basis may give a sense of control over your partner's roving eye practice. In a long-distance relationship, where there's no physical proximity, the temptation to stray looms large.

TIP: Read 2000 questions that you can ask your lover and spice up your relationship!

Mini and Joseph are a couple made for each other, this was the oft heard remark made by their close friends and relatives. Their relationship seemed to have weathered all kinds of storms except experiencing the bitter pangs of separation. Their fear of getting separated soon turned into reality when Mini was sent abroad by her company for a corporate training program. Both of them took consolation in the fact that the separation period would not last for more than a year.

After a tearful farewell, Joseph immersed himself in his job as a quality analyst. The initial stages of their long-distance relationship was devoid of any untoward incidents until a common friend informed Mini that Joseph's casual flirting with his colleague had turned into a serious one. There soon followed a drastic change in Joseph's attitude towards Mini, Infrequent phone calls and e-mails further confirmed the fact that he was being unfaithful to her. Mini and Joseph's is a case in point to prove that the scope for straying is definitely high in a long-distance relationship.

When the partner is not physically around, the temptation to stray can become inevitable at times. Being faithful is not an art form it's just something that happens between two people in a particular relationship. Because you're not there to keep an eye on each other, it's also important to build trust though the temptation to stray never ceases to exist. Be extra demonstrative of your feelings. Send cards, flowers and presents. Say 'I love you' often, to make up for the fact that you can't show affection face-to-face. This can be a gentle reminder (read warning) to your sweetheart who has a weakness for the opposite sex.

Make extra efforts to be reliable, to do what you say you are going to do. If each of you knows that the other is trustworthy in little things, you'll be able to trust in big things - like fidelity. What happens in many cases, however, is that one of the partners may start feeling lonely and begin to look around to see if there are any dating options available. With his girlfriend miles away from him, he may start telling himself, "It's ok if I look around and date other girls, after all it will be nothing serious, but only a casual fling".

But a casual date may sometimes turn into a serious relationship which is something a couple involved in a long-distance relationship does not anticipate. Simply having made a decision to allow each other the freedom to date other people while they were apart, and seeing if they still felt the same way about each other once they were reunited, may prevent such situation. A couple who have high levels of commitment, trust and self-control can resist the temptation to stray and effortlessly transform a long-distance relationship into a secure and successful one.