A friend told me last week that my columns can be a little too preachy and that I should add a little fluff to them.

So, instead of my usual opinionated, political, preachy liberalism, I thought I’d talk about an issue this week that is not often approached on the opinion page — love and relationships.

What could be more fluffy that that?

I’ve been thinking a lot about love and relationships this week for a couple different reasons. One reason is because of the debate on the opinion pages spurred by last week’s Reverse Campaniling.

Another reason is because it seems like everyone I know is getting engaged. But mostly, I’ve been thinking about this subject because I’ve really been missing my boyfriend and our puppy Sierra.

This has been the longest semester of all my time at ISU because the person I’ve been going out with for almost six years graduated last December and found a job in a different state.

When he accepted the job in December, I knew I’d be living in Ames alone. I knew I would miss him, but I thought it might be interesting to live somewhat of a single life.

I thought I’d be able to spend more time on academics. I thought I’d save money on utilities since no one would be leaving lights on all the time. I thought I’d always have a clean apartment. I even thought it might be fun to write letters.

Well, after nearly 12 weeks of the “single” life and putting nearly 8,000 miles of Interstate 80 on my car, I have come to one conclusion.

Long-distance relationships suck! There’s no other way to describe it. They just suck, pure and simple.

Thankfully, though, absence truly does make the heart grow fonder. Our relationship is stronger than ever, and the thought of the future keeps me plowing through classes.

More than a few times it was tempting to just stay in Peoria instead of facing the five-hour drive and long weekdays alone, but I’ve had a wonderful support system who re-convinces me every week why I need to finish.

I can’t imagine what it would be like if society or religion or other organized structures told me I couldn’t have that support system — my relationship.

I can’t imagine what it would be like if people became angry and self-righteous if I kissed the person I love in public. I can’t imagine what if would be like if laws prevented me from marrying the person I love.

I can’t imagine any of these scenarios, but I can sympathize. As a heterosexual female, I have many rights and privileges that I know are not available to the gay community, and honestly, I fail to see any valid reason why they are not available.

Close-mindedness, ignorance, and insecurity are not valid reasons, and that is why I think last week’s Reverse Campaniling was a good event to promote awareness of the inequalities that exist.

Before you get offended, write letters to the editor in protest, or do something worse the next time you encounter homosexual issues, ask yourself this: Why is it wrong to love someone?

That said, I’d like to pose another question. Why is everyone catching engagement fever around here? I’ve noticed a new phenomenon at ISU: Every time I see someone I know on campus, on the bus, at the grocery store, it doesn’t matter where, they tell me they’re engaged.

I guess everyone is falling in love — too bad we can’t expand our societal definition of acceptable love to include all love.

---

Jonquil Wegmann is a senior in community and regional planning from Bellevue.