Normally, people associate grief with death, but that’s not always the case. I believe that you can also grieve for someone alive. I think everyone does grieve someone who’s alive at least once in their life, but they may not realize it. People will do this with exes or even ex-friends. Reminiscing on the good memories and the bad memories, looking at old messages and pictures, going to places you went together, and thinking of them.
I feel as if I grieve for my ex-best friends. I’m not on bad terms with any of them now, but some reasons have caused us not to be as close. Going to school with them definitely makes me think of when we were so close. I believe the hardest part at first is walking past them as if you are strangers. Like, I know your family, your problems, your favorite food, who you don’t like, and who you do like. But I must act as if I know nothing about you and we are complete strangers. I hate but love looking back on the photos of us together. I miss being that close with someone, but at the same time, it reminds me of why we aren’t friends anymore.
Being friends with these people helped me figure out what I do and don’t want in a friend. At the peak of our friendship, I adored them. I felt as if I could count on them no matter what, so ending these friendships hurt, but I grew from them. I had to understand that it wasn’t one-sided and that we both did things that caused us not to be friends anymore. Also, I had to realize that people change, and as I get older, I’ve noticed that it has helped me look at my relationships with people differently. Now I don’t take it personally when I end a friendship because sometimes people aren’t meant to be friends anymore, which is fine. I do still grieve my ex-friends from time to time, and I miss the friendship we had. We have grown apart, but I still wish them well.
For anyone else experiencing this, know that missing and reminiscing about someone is perfectly normal and healthy. It’s what you do after that can be unhealthy; sometimes friendships and relationships come to an end for the better.
Sometimes I do wish nothing changed and I was still at the peak of these friendships. I miss them so much at times; I miss it when I feel like they are my sisters, but people change, and that is okay.
I feel as if I grieve for my ex-best friends. I’m not on bad terms with any of them now, but some reasons have caused us not to be as close. Going to school with them definitely makes me think of when we were so close. I believe the hardest part at first is walking past them as if you are strangers. Like, I know your family, your problems, your favorite food, who you don’t like, and who you do like. But I must act as if I know nothing about you and we are complete strangers. I hate but love looking back on the photos of us together. I miss being that close with someone, but at the same time, it reminds me of why we aren’t friends anymore.
Being friends with these people helped me figure out what I do and don’t want in a friend. At the peak of our friendship, I adored them. I felt as if I could count on them no matter what, so ending these friendships hurt, but I grew from them. I had to understand that it wasn’t one-sided and that we both did things that caused us not to be friends anymore. Also, I had to realize that people change, and as I get older, I’ve noticed that it has helped me look at my relationships with people differently. Now I don’t take it personally when I end a friendship because sometimes people aren’t meant to be friends anymore, which is fine. I do still grieve my ex-friends from time to time, and I miss the friendship we had. We have grown apart, but I still wish them well.
For anyone else experiencing this, know that missing and reminiscing about someone is perfectly normal and healthy. It’s what you do after that can be unhealthy; sometimes friendships and relationships come to an end for the better.
Sometimes I do wish nothing changed and I was still at the peak of these friendships. I miss them so much at times; I miss it when I feel like they are my sisters, but people change, and that is okay.