I had a friend that moved very far away. We stayed in touch for a while. But he was very busy running a business and raising a special needs toddler with his wife so contact became sporadic. At first I was very understanding and would repeatedly initiate contact that generally, but not always, seemed to well received. After a year or two, I pretty much gave up except for an occasional outreach. I thought that he must be mad at me about something though I couldn’t imagine what. After a year or so of minimal contact, I learned that he was suffering from, and hiding, crippling depression. I found out because he hanged himself.
If you care for the person, put in the fucking effort. You don’t know what’s going on in their life. I will never forgive myself for not trying harder.
I’m sorry for your loss internet friend.
Me: texts every so often, putting thought into each message.
Friend: responds with “thumbs up” or reactions, but no words.
Me, after the 15th time this happens: ”Well I guess we’re done talking to each other.”
If both are extraverts, then not initiating contact possibly means that person doesn’t want to be friends anymore. Which is fine, sometimes it’s better for a friendship to end.
If one is an introvert, then them initiating much less might not mean anything.
If both are introverts, then not getting messages or calls about banal things may be preferable for both, making them ideal friends.
It’s what? Over.
It’s hard not to draw uncharitable conclusions when people you considered friends don’t reach out.
They may be struggling, but that’s an explanation not an excuse. The sadness experienced by the person who never gets called, never gets invited, and feels forgotten, is real.
You think about what they do spend time on. Who they do call. It invites comparison. Why did they invite them but not me? Do they not like me? Was it something I said? It’s impossible to know. They might not know themselves.
I follow a guideline of “follow their behavior, and if you have extra emotional energy then model the behavior you want to see”. If they reach out sometimes, I’ll reach out sometimes. If they don’t, I don’t, until I feel like I have the extra energy to risk them blowing me off or whatever.
There are like 3 people in my life who will initiate.
The bank when my credit card is overdue, the nice man selling extended car warranties, and those Mormon missionaries I fed that one time.
Lucky.
No, I’m not. Just because you are mire isolated than me, does not mean I am lucky.
what’s an ideal number of people you consider to be sufficient? just curious
I don’t have one. I find questions like this to be inflammatory
im not sure why you found it inflammatory as it was a genuine question. regardless, apologies
Take a moment to think about that.
Edit: love when I don’t set a standard for something without a standard and people don’t use critical thinkg.
One sided friendships are not worth it.
I mean I don’t text or call my friends for months or years, I still consider us lifelong friends
Thats how it is when you’re mature and comfortable with your life. I’m in my 40s and text my buddy once a season and hang out every other year. We got separate lives.
Honestly every time I see these posts, it just comes off like they’re young and used to that school life where their friendship was based on if they went to the same class or not.
How do they feel about it? Are you sure? How do you know?
Fine, because when I do meet them I actually talk to my friends and discuss things and reminisce like adults
I don’t think you’re a credible source in this scenario. Maybe you’re right and everyone is cool, but I would not be surprised at all if someone in your friend group had been hurt by your infequency.
But maybe!
Now imagine if both parties thought like this
Phone works both ways.
Yes, it does.
So why doesn’t the other person ever bother picking theirs up first for a change?
My mom guilts me over not maintaining a better relationship with my brother, but he will never ever call or text first, despite the fact we used to be really close.
She wants us to have that again, but we are both adults now and my duty of looking out for my kid brother is done. He can make his own choices and I’m always happy to talk to him.
Youve missed the point entirely
