Long distance relationships are never easy. They can certainly be worth it when both parties are willing to give it everything they’ve got. But if there’s an imbalance in commitment, the relationship can quickly go downhill.

One woman who knows the struggle of being in a long distance relationship all too well recently posted on Reddit seeking advice. Below, you’ll find the full story of how her relationship came to an end earlier this year, as well as how her ex decided to reach out to her months later. 

This woman reached the final straw in her relationship after she was stood up at the airport

Image credits: ShintarTatsiana/Envato (not the actual photo)

But now, her ex has decided that he wants her back

Image credits:  simonapilolla/Envato (not the actual photo)

Image credits: Ok_Pirate_4219

Later, the woman responded to some questions readers had and provided more information on the situation

About one third of people have stood up a date before

Image credits: YuriArcursPeopleimages/Envato (not the actual photo)

Being stood up is never an enjoyable experience. Whether you’ve been waiting at the airport for hours or your blind date simply no-showed while you sat at a bar all night, it feels awful to be forgotten or overlooked. 

According to a survey from YouGov, 69% of people have never stood up a date, as most of us have the decency to at least let someone know if we’ll be unable to meet.

But 14% of Americans admitted that they had been guilty of standing someone up, and 7% even said they’ve done it “several times.” Men are more likely to leave their dates hanging, as a quarter of them said that they had stood someone up before, while only 19% of women revealed that they had bailed on a date without any notice. 

And young people are more likely to have done this to a date, as 75% of those over the age of 55 have never stood anyone up. Meanwhile, only 63% of those between the ages of 18 and 24 could say the same.

Being forgetful can take a huge toll on your relationship

Image credits:  djoronimo/Envato (not the actual photo)

While it’s never kind to leave someone hanging, It’s a lot worse to stand up your partner that you love than a first date that you met on a dating app. And according to Assael Romanelli, PhD, at Psychology Today, being forgetful can take a huge toll on a relationship.

Forgetting things may not be intentional, but it can still provide benefits for the absent-minded partner. Romanelli notes that it allows them to avoid conflicts by being perpetually innocent. “I didn’t mean to leave the dishes in the sink; I just forgot!” This can also lead to being exempt from responsibilities, as their partner may start to expect less of them.

Being forgetful allows a person freedom to invest their energy elsewhere, as they don’t have to worry about details they’re supposed to remember. And it often makes a person appear playful, spontaneous and carefree, which tends to attract others.

However, this absent-mindedness can quickly create problems. A forgetful person can be judged for not being invested enough in the relationship and can start to lose the respect of their partner. Their partner may also stop sharing and confiding in them if they assume that what they discuss won’t be remembered anyway. 

Two thirds of people would consider breaking up with their partner if they forgot an important relationship milestone

Image credits: LightFieldStudios/Envato (not the actual photo)

Relationships that have one extremely forgetful person can also lead to the other becoming rigid and cranky since they’re always forced to be the “bookkeeper” and handle all of the not-so-fun parts of their relationship.  

It’s not only small details that tend to slip people’s minds though; many are capable of forgetting important dates and events as well. A 2023 survey from Dating.com found that a whopping 82% of people have forgotten their anniversary at some point in a relationship. 43% also admitted that they’ve forgotten a partner’s birthday at least once. 

But this can be detrimental to a relationship. Two thirds of those surveyed said that a temporary or permanent break up would be on the horizon if their significant other managed to forget an important day in their relationship. And when it comes to who often forgets these milestones, 82% of survey respondents who had let an anniversary slip their minds were men.

We would love to hear your thoughts on this situation in the comments below, pandas. Do you think this woman made the right choice to break up with her partner after being stranded at the airport? Feel free to share, and then if you’d like to check out another Bored Panda article discussing similar relationship issues, we recommend reading this one next!

The majority agreed that breaking up was the right choice and encouraged the woman to stick to her guns

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