Skip to main content
Skip to main navigation
Skip to talk navigation

Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Saved Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Flip

1 2 3

AIBU?

Is this friendship dying? Next chapter!

66 replies

soislife · 20/10/2013 08:36

Hi all,

Thought I'd post again as got great advice last time plus I awoke to a new development & needed some help to decide what to do!

Quick background if you didn't read last post: BF & I friends for over 5 years. Bridesmaids for each other, she's my DD's Godmother. This last year I've been making the effort to contact her, she never makes first move & this year I've had a pretty rough year - 2 major surgeries and I lost a baby. She really hasn't been there.

Anyway last week I asked whether I should just let things be. General consensus was just be there if she wants to see you. Shouldn't be all or nothing. In the week it was her birthday. Dropped round a present and card but I couldn't stay long as she was having a stressful time at work and wanted to rest. I asked her if she was planning on doing anything nice for her b'day, she said her DH was taking her for dinner. I logged into FB this morning and there were photos of a dinner party with some of my other friends. Now I'm really confused (& hurt). No-one mentioned a party & now it seems like it isn't just my BF that's distancing herself, other friends are too (unless they went to party expecting to see me & if they did what did she tell them?).

I can't for the life of me figure out what I've done to warrant this treatment. What do I do? Confront? Ignore? Can't stop thinking about it.

OP posts:

Report

TheArticFunky · 20/10/2013 16:07

I'm not sure it would be a good idea to ask her outright. It puts her in an awkward position and causes tension.

I think you have a good idea what's going on. I think your friend has probably just moved on she sounds quite immature and as other posters have said you aren't massaging her ego anymore. Just let it be. Keep her as an acquaintance who was once a friend. If you put her on the spot she will probably make a drama out of it and it could cause an atmosphere with your other friends.

Mia4 · 20/10/2013 17:15

I think it depends on the nature of the friendship TheArticFunky, how it used to be especially. I wouldn't have a problem saying it to some of my friends, others yes but some would welcome the honesty outright rather then distancing and uncertainty on both or one side.

If you want the friendship back OP or the closure of 'knowing' then ask her either call or email. If you can distance (she sounds like she may not be too bothered but only you can guess that for sure) then just withdraw and find like-minded people to spend time with.

Laura0806 · 20/10/2013 17:42

To be honest Im not sure she will give you a straight answer. I had a similar experience , a BF and godmother to my dd who droppped me after some ridiculous issue over our older sons. She gradually started inviting all our mutual friends to things and not me and when I asked her if there was an issue she denied it and threw me the odd crumb suggesting we do something together in a month or so's time and when we were out gradually started ignoring me. Its awful now as we just don't speak, but see each other a lot. Now I look back, the signs of her behaviour were always there, shes treated other people badly and they weren't surprised. Im really sorry for you because its awful when you go through a tough time to find people you cared about aren't the people you thought they were. Like you say, the church and its community can provide a religious influence on your dd and my advice would be to find other friends to throw your energies into. As you say why waste your energy by throwing parties for these old friends. Life is too short to waste it on people that can't be there for you. Find people who can whilst remaining civil and light hearted to these other so called frineds. So yes do the inane rubbish talk on facebook but detach yourself from it and put your energy in other people. PM me anytime

southeastdweller · 20/10/2013 19:53

Great post earlier by minnie.

Also agreeing with TheArctic about reclassifying the relationship into something not as big, that's if you really can't face a gentle talk with her.

Laura0806 · 20/10/2013 21:51

I think you just relaise southeastdweller, that the friendship isn't that deep by the actions of the friend and then the conversation doesn't seem worth having.

southeastdweller · 20/10/2013 22:09

But at least there's a chance she'll know what happened. And she's got not much to lose anyway by the sounds of it.

dubstarr73 · 20/10/2013 22:22

I had this a few years ago my friend was being off with me,we never lived in each others pockets.Was supposed to be going away on a weekend,didnt hear fro her all week,the thursday she pops up and sprouts some shite.We went anyway had a good time but i could feel something wasnt right.So i askThated her if i did something to offend her she said no.A few months later i had my baby,she was away on holiday.
She turns up 6 weeks later,says we have to get together soon.4 months later she was supposed to meet me,never turned up.
What really hurt was i was out with the baby in the cold to meet her.
I went home and rang her no answer.So i deleted her number ,i got the hint.

That was 2 years ago and havent heard from her since.I would let her get in contact and if she doesnt you know where you stand.

Laura0806 · 20/10/2013 22:29

No, I uess youre right. Maybe your pride if she says nothing! Hope you got some answers to your situation southeastdweller. Its not pleasant is it?

southeastdweller · 20/10/2013 22:38

It's really awful, Laura, but this thread's been helpful. It hurts. Working up to a gentle but firm chat soon.

TrueStory · 20/10/2013 23:09

Call me naieve (if only I could spell it), but isn't searching people's activities on Facebook, sort of spying on people?

You have my biggest sympathies OP, esp. after buying present etc, so I don't doubt your dilemma/situation.

But isn't looking up friends and what they're doing, sort of spying on them? Nothing good can come of it IMO. And equally, I would add, nothing good can come of putting up photos of a birthday party to all and sundry, but not including other friends.

FunkyBoldRibena · 20/10/2013 23:34

She didn't say she searched, she said the photos came up. So it's the OP's friends that were there. One of whom she could ask if she can't ask the person in question.

HellYeah3 · 20/10/2013 23:48

Or you could play her at her own game and see how she likes it and have a party and not invite her. Might show her how hurtful it is.

springybiffy · 21/10/2013 00:00

I don't really get this picking up and dropping friends, like gradually no longer wearing a dress you were once mad about. And for her to bustle you out of the house saying she was 'stressed'

urgh and urgh. Not sure she's worth the breath tbh. That is just shitty. Plastering photos all over fb with your mutual friends. urgh.

I'm in two minds about this. I'm in a similar position in that a very old friend seems to be distancing herself - I saw her in a supermarket recently, stood in front of her, and she pretended to not see me (you couldn't make this up...). It is now clear that she has been doing a planned exit for some time (went right over my head lol) and I'm wondering about whether to write to her. I've tried talking to her (in a non-confrontational way) but all I get is the fobbing off stuff. If I wrote it wouldn't be angry, just mystified; a kind of farewell letter.

But I'm not sure someone who gets you out of her house (when you've come a long way to give her a present), then invites all your friends to a party - when she is your dd's gm - is worth it. She sounds ignorant.

Retroformica · 21/10/2013 00:09

If talk to her in person and say you feel disappointed about the party and support.

guffaw · 21/10/2013 00:46

My dearest best friend and me went through a mutual experience (a very stressful, work related course) it was extremely wearying, and time consuming.At the end of this she told me she wanted a break, to be just with her family, who she thought she had neglected over the months we had worked together on this course.

Several weeks turned into several months of occasional phone contact, until her niece contacted me to tell me my dear friend was terminally ill, saw her a couple of times, during which we talked about things that she said only I would have raised, and which she desperately wanted to talk through, she died before we had a chance to stop talking about everything she wanted to say.

All I would say is meet up, try to get things out in the open and sort out how your friendship will go forward, tell her you love and miss her (if you do), tell her how much you need her (if you do) at least have the conversation, then you know you have done everything possible for someone you love and care for, if she doesn't need it right now, let her know that if she ever does again, your love for her is still there.

best wishes for you, losing the closeness of a valued friend, in whatever way, hurts.

pigletmania · 21/10/2013 01:05

I would let it go, and te friendship tbh, sounds like you have grown apart

Flip

1 2 3

Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.