Thank you for tackling an issue and a part of life that doesn't often get shared. I've ended a couple of friendships, one long ago and I did it in a clumsy way and one recently that I laboured over, asked my dreams for guidance and received the most compelling messages from that inner source. It caused pain to end this friendship but I was able to do it with as much kindness and compassion as possible. In another example, a friendship ended painfully many years ago, and then was revived again in a new way 4 years ago. With new boundaries in place, we've been able to find love and respect for each other. Such an interesting subject to write about!
Thanks Angela. Yes, it's a weird one. Tricky and sticky. It never occurred to me I'd have to "break up" with a friend as an adult, and boy, it was not fun. A lot of it is about boundaries, it seems. What you're willing to engage with, or not. And if it's ultimately worth it to you to take a stand, so to speak.
I’ve been struggling with this very situation the past year, so it was good to read your Note on it. I haven’t sorted out my thoughts on it all either.
I definitely have one ended friendship in particular I'm carrying around like a dead body in a burlap sack. I don't have the spine to open the sack and look at it and I wonder, apprehensively, if it will re-animate, stick it's head out the sack and start talking in my ear. In my opinion sharing your experience of this in a newsletter - a public forum - is courageous, requires a great deal of honesty and a willingness to be vulnerable. So kudos to you and thanks for making me think.
Thank you for tackling an issue and a part of life that doesn't often get shared. I've ended a couple of friendships, one long ago and I did it in a clumsy way and one recently that I laboured over, asked my dreams for guidance and received the most compelling messages from that inner source. It caused pain to end this friendship but I was able to do it with as much kindness and compassion as possible. In another example, a friendship ended painfully many years ago, and then was revived again in a new way 4 years ago. With new boundaries in place, we've been able to find love and respect for each other. Such an interesting subject to write about!
Thanks Angela. Yes, it's a weird one. Tricky and sticky. It never occurred to me I'd have to "break up" with a friend as an adult, and boy, it was not fun. A lot of it is about boundaries, it seems. What you're willing to engage with, or not. And if it's ultimately worth it to you to take a stand, so to speak.
I’ve been struggling with this very situation the past year, so it was good to read your Note on it. I haven’t sorted out my thoughts on it all either.
It's tricky. It's complicated. It's painful 🥲
I definitely have one ended friendship in particular I'm carrying around like a dead body in a burlap sack. I don't have the spine to open the sack and look at it and I wonder, apprehensively, if it will re-animate, stick it's head out the sack and start talking in my ear. In my opinion sharing your experience of this in a newsletter - a public forum - is courageous, requires a great deal of honesty and a willingness to be vulnerable. So kudos to you and thanks for making me think.
Thanks Smitty 🥲