The media rarely show viewers a friendship that cannot find a solution after a conflict. Two people can disagree throughout an episode and then sort things out before the credits. Unfortunately, friends are just as unpredictable as most relationships. We can strive to maintain a limit as long as possible, but some friendships must end.
We transition at all ages and naturally, we turn away from people. The memories of the people with whom we once shared laughter are accompanied by the same reasons for the distance. Fortunately, social media provides us with pictures and status updates that make us feel like the friendship will never end despite a lack of genuine communication. However, we become dependent on this connection, and once the friendship is lost digitally, so is the former friend.
Recently, I found out that social media couldn’t keep up a friendship when a childhood friend blocked me without warning. I hadn’t communicated with them beyond social media in over a year after moving for a job. They were not a unique case. In fact, I struggled to maintain many relationships and the responsibility weighed on me. Stress, coupled with building my career, caused me to become detached. Soon the only connection was social media, but for some, that wasn’t enough. So when I noticed that this friend had taken me away from the only thing keeping us connected, I accepted his message that the friendship was over.
Although the action did not sit well with me, I rethink myself by speaking ill of the “break” with other people. He had been a little embarrassed. How did this relationship, and indeed many of my friendships over the years, dissolve into nothingness? Was there something wrong with me?
The situation provided only one answer: GROWTH. When we grow up, we evolve, and sometimes we can’t take people from our past with us. Although we work to take everyone with us on our journey, the task is impossible. However, there will be people on our side who will stay with us. In fact, they become some of the most supportive and necessary people in our lives. I hate to say that in time new people will replace our old friends, but it’s true. I still have some childhood friends and they, along with new friends, keep me inspired to be my real and authentic self. For those who stayed, I’ve seen them move to the big cities to make their dreams come true, grow in love, and produce beautiful replicas of themselves and become better people.
Ending a friendship is difficult, but it may be necessary for reasons we may never understand. If we are to do something, we should at least appreciate the moments we once spent with people. If our paths do finally cross again, we must continue to show the same love that we once regularly projected to remind them that despite life, they still matter.
