Hi everyone
I hope you are all well. Long time user but name changed as not to out myself!
I have felt quite down over the last few months as I have noticed a number of close friendships that seem to be slipping away from me and it's made me question myself (and I feel quite upset really), wondering whether it is something I have done or whether this is quite common for my age/ during the current climate. I have 2 close friends at the moment and others have either dropped off the face of the earth/distanced themselves/naturally grown apart I suppose.
I am 32 and not yet had children and live with my partner in a small town where most, if not all of my friends also live. Very few have had children yet, although the 2 I am now still close with are both now pregnant.
Recently my close friend of over 15 years has changed towards me (and also the other 2) and ever since she got a new partner myself and my 2 other friends above, have been completely dropped. I did notice that she had been distancing herself from us for a while but it came to a head with the new relationship started. We have all tried to make effort with her and checked she is okay, initially concerned but the effort ran stale very quickly and it was quite clear that communication was very one sided. I recently bumped into her whilst jogging and it strangely felt a little awkward!
One of my childhood school friends recently got married and moved to London, we are still close considering the circumstances and I understand this friendship will naturally change, no blame here but it has just added to me feeling quite upset/sad!
I was also recently disappointed with a childhood friend, we still meet up for walks/coffee etc and I thought we were very close. I classed her as my best friend and we have both been through a lot together, with similar traumas when we were growing up. She has had some pretty substantial 'life updates' over the last few months, ones which I really thought she would have shared with me but I found out months later (one being she was engaged and booked a wedding) and I was taken a back that these 'life updates' hadn't come up during the times we have spoken for a catch up etc I found out through another friend who thought I already knew. I don't think my childhood friend was been malicious not telling me, she has a very kind heart but it did make me upset that I wasn't thought of after these big life events who she wanted to share the news with. I have also noticed that it seems to be me always initiating conversations/ meeting up and I am getting quite tired of it!
I was wondering if this has happened to others? Did you find you made new friendships as time went on, maybe when you had children? I suppose I need to look within and make sure it is not myself causing people to distance themselves from me, or do you think this is quite common during this age? Perhaps lock down? I am really hoping that despite my 2 close friends both being pregnant that once their babies arrive that we will still remain close, although of course it is completely understandable that they will have a lot on their plate and it is likely time/energy will be significantly less for them!
