Absence... Heart.... Fonder?

So, I'm sitting here wondering... Does absence really make the heart grow fonder? Can absence make the heart grow fonder when the presence of a certain person has never been felt? Case in point: My other and I reconnected via the internet. Talked on the phone constantly for several months, decided we were in love, he moved down, moved in. Having never met in person during our adult lives, could his absence have made my heart grow fonder of him, since my heart had never known his presence? I don't know. I don't think he does, either. Considering he has had two long-term relationships, both of which started via the Internet. Would he have known the difference between falling in love in person, or through a relatively impersonal medium?

Don't get me wrong... I'm not knocking cyber-romance. In my lifetime, it has become possible to connect with people from practically every part of the globe in real-time. BUT (as I said Saturday night, there's always a BUT) we've lost something in all of this light-speed communication. It was NEVER intended for us to be able to fall in love without physical contact. Whatever you believe, evolution, intelligent design, it is clear that our bodies and minds are programmed to take in large amounts of data through ALL 5 of our senses.... Sight, sound, taste, touch, and smell. We release chemicals that attract the opposite sex on the sub-conscious level through our sense of smell. Also on that level, we sum up the symmatry of a person's body, looking for hints as to whether this person would create good offspring. The sound of a person's voice, the texture of their skin, lips and hair, the taste of their kiss... These are all supposed to be determining factors when we choose that special someone. People who use these senses are often called shallow, but these things were programmed into us for a reason. Physical compatibility is JUST AS important as the emotional, spiritual, and intellectual levels.