Soft Goodbyes I Never Got to Say

Some friendships end in explosions and burned bridges. But the ones that stick with me the most? They faded like fog. No drama. No big goodbye. Just space. One less text. Those that have “we should catch up soon!” that never really happens. And suddenly, I realize I don’t know little things about them anymore. Or how they’re really doing, not just what they post online. It’s a weird kind of heartbreak, it's slow and hard to name. Like mourning a ghost that still exists, but out of reach. I don’t have a great answer for it. Sometimes I want to reach out. Sometimes I scroll past their name and just sigh. I guess I’m learning that it’s okay to miss people without needing to chase them. That some connections drift, but that doesn’t mean they weren’t real. And if the current ever brings us back together someday, I hope there’s still warmth waiting. I hope the heart remembers.

• Friendship
• Grief