"Give the gift of absence to those who do not appreciate your presence" — Unknown

There are days when you look around you and all you can see are your closest friends becoming closer with each other. You begin to allow that fear to consume your life. Then you ask yourself questions like "do they still like me or want me around?" You may experience the feelings of loneliness and sadness because you are allowing that fear control you. You try to ignore that fear by telling yourself you are just overreacting. It returns when your friends forget to invite you somewhere or have inside jokes with their new friends that you do not know.

"It hurts the most when the people who made you feel special yesterday make you feel unwanted today." — Unknown

You try to change yourself in hopes that these so-called friends will like you better. You do anything possible for them in hopes they will include you. You change your looks and personality, but they still push you aside when someone new comes along. You blame yourself for losing them. You think it is your fault when in reality it is not. You become scared it will happen again so you build a wall around your heart. It is hard to let people in when you give your everything to that friendship and the person will not do the same.

"I'm used to it. I'm used to being the second choice or the "backup" friend. I'm used to it. And I'm sick of it." — Unknown

You allow yourself to become second best because you want to be loved. It hurts to be treated this way because it makes you feel that you are not important. You see others with these great friends and being put first. You wonder why you cannot find the same. What you need to realize is that you deserve better than to be someone's second choice. Find friends who think of you and want to include you when planning something. These are the people who care about you and will make sure you do not feel left behind.

"Never take them for granted. No matter how much someone loves you, everyone has their limit of feeling unappreciated."— Charles Orlando

I have been in that situation of feeling left behind many times before. I am finally in a place where I am surrounded by people who want me around. It is time for you to move on from that friendship where you do not feel welcome or loved. I hope you find someone who will make you a majority. If those people are truly your friends, they will realize what they lost. They lost a great friend who would do anything for them. Just remember that friendship is a two-way street.