LDR

"Absence makes the heart grow fonder." Does it really? does it differ from males to females? how long should the absence last? every time I hear or see this quote somewhere these questions run through my mind. I have a long distance relationship, and I should be able to answer these, but i can't. What really are the rules of an LDR(long distance relationship)? if one's heart grows fonder then that will make the person want to be near his/her significant other. So, is that something positive or negative? do women stay in love longer than men? is it better to just forget about each other until the next meeting? too many questions; too few answers.