Not all friendships will stay the same, and some are not meant to last forever. A lot of people feel guilty when they notice that they are texting someone less, or are getting shorter and less frequent replies from someone -- they feel an obligation to continue to give the friendship their best efforts because they are afraid the other person will dislike them if they drift apart. Although it is noble to try your best in a friendship, it isn't all bad to give less effort.
We are changing every day. Sometimes we notice our changes, and sometimes the differences are so small that they go unnoticed. Sometimes the things that used to make us laugh to the point of pain no longer make us smile, the foods we used to love don't taste as heavenly as they used to, and the books we once loved are now a little dull. We drift away from these things because they don't bring us the same happiness anymore. Is that bad? No. So why is it different when it comes to people?
I used to be very afraid of losing friendships. I always wanted to keep all of my friendships alive and thriving because I wanted to keep making the same happy memories that I made when I was younger. But as I grow older, I'm realizing that people find their own paths, and in some cases, I'm not a part of that path. I'm also realizing that it goes the same for me, and because of those realizations, I no longer feel terrified of losing friends or guilty when it happens.
It's okay to drift apart. It's okay to not keep in regular contact. You don't have to be as close to someone as you always were -- you can be distant friends. The term looks a little sad, but it isn't. Being distant friends with someone can be beautiful because you can avoid the stresses of keeping someone/yourself in the loop with your lives, yet be able to contact them every once in a while and grab lunch. And the best part? The conversation never runs dry. Whether you're talking about what's been going on in your lives or reminiscing the past, there will always be something to talk about.
Don't stress about friendships unless you absolutely want them to continue to stay the way they are. If you want to fight for someone, fight for them. But if you're noticing that both the other person and yourself are finding less and less time for each other, consider what you want. If you find yourself caring a little less about keeping yourself updated with their life, or you're noticing you're receiving less and less text messages from a person, you don't necessarily have to feel guilty. Maybe you'll take some time apart from that person and eventually fully rekindle your friendship, or maybe the whole distant-friends-thing won't seem so scary anymore.
