I recently had a friendship end. Of course this happens sometimes, people drift apart or circumstances change. But this relationship was ended on purpose. I didn’t see it coming and it was ugly and hurtful. I’ve never had this happen before. I’d, honestly, never had someone treat me that way. I’ve known this person since college and although we didn’t see each other often, when we did, we enjoyed each other’s company and got along really well.
I have no trouble standing up for myself or telling someone who has disrespected me to fuck off. I just didn’t expect to have to do it with him. I’m not going to say it wasn’t upsetting, of course it was. But what I realized was, that his behavior was showing me his true colors. I just hadn’t seen it in action before. The misunderstanding, the lack of mature discussion…and the loss were all his. Not mine.
Real friends respect you and value your relationship. Actually, never mind friends, just decent people respect each other. And most mature adults are able to disagree or even argue and still maintain their relationships.
It was hard for me to process someone I thought was a friend acting so badly. But when someone shows you their real self, believe them.
Thinking Out Loud 