I can tell you my personal experience. I had a boyfriend in another state. We started our relationship chatting for a while. The chat became a flirt....the flirt ended up with me taking a plane and going to visit him. Such a crazy thing but i thought he was worthy it. Since the first time we saw each other,we caught fire right away. We had a passionate week together. He introduced me to his friends,to his workplace and to his world. I don't mean to say it was love at first sight,but at least we got on very well together and we seemed to like each other a lot!
Time came for me to get back home. We both were very sad and i told him: "Listen,everything's great;i like you a lot....but i don't know where this is gonna lead....i mean, if i were a naif guy,i'd say everything's gonna be wonderful,we're gonna be together and happy,travelling around when we can....but real life teaches me that it is gonna be more time apart rather than together....so maybe we should consider it as a thing which started and ended here...."
But he soon replied: "I don't manage thinking about it this way. I wanna come to visit you,i don't wanna lose you....and maybe i could find a job in your city and maybe...."
"Don't make promises you won't be able to keep...."- I answered. "Life will tell!"
My heart was really broken,even though it had been only a week,it was like i had known him for months....it is hard to explain or describe.
Back home, we had a couple of weeks in which we talked a lot on te phone etc. Modern technology really helps!!!
After this period,he moved to my country for a seasonal job but it was really on the other side of the state! so we couldn't meet for a long long time. Because of his very busy job,we rarely talked....he worked from the morning to late night....we had just a good-morning-text,a lunch-time text,and a good-night-text.
I hardly handled the situation.....the more i needed him,the more he was not there. One night i was crazy,really,and phoned him almost in tears.....that night he told me: "Honestly, i don't think we can go on like this. I am stuck in here for 3 months with no time even for myself....you are far away,we cannot meet....this is gonna lead nowhere...."
So we decided to remain friends,though i was already in love with him.
After a few months we met again and our feeling for each other had not changed. The only thing i wanted was to have one more kiss,but at my request he answered: "If i do kiss you,it is gonna be a very unwise thing. I know i can hardly get over you if i kiss you again,and we know we cannot be together....so please,don't....".
The more the sorrow grew in me,the more i loved him.
We met other times,once in a while....and tried to be friends but....it hardly works when you have or had feelings of other type for someone.....
The moral is: to me it works ONLY if both lovers have the same possibilities to move in a "short" period time and if there is the same level of deep interest on the two sides. I shoul add that it is better if the long distance relationship starts after a normal relationship....because if there is something deep and maybe love between the two,it is easier to keep it alive....if it is something that starts as a long distance one,it is usually not gonna last much. Love needs time spent with the other person to be real...this type of realtionship is very fascinating and intense because you can imagine and dream of it as perfect,more than you really verify in daily life whether it is or not!