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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

No well wishes on my 30th? Did I do something wrong?

41 replies

OhForFrogSake · 02/06/2024 20:24

Hello- long time lurker, first time joiner but decided to swallow some courage and ask you for any insight. Sorry if this is long!

Today is my 30th birthday for context. I’ve had a group of female friends (4 of us, all 30) for the past 4 years. We met when I joined a hobby when I moved to our city. None of us are apart of that hobby anymore.

We used to see each other once every two weeks and contact each other maybe once a week on our group chat. It was lovely and we got on really well. It was nice to have friends that were bitchy free and all three of them are very easy going-as did I think I was! I’ve helped them through difficult times (breakups, house moves, etc)

Then in January, while on holiday- I got some bad news about my health unexpectedly, at the same time I lost a family member and my landlord decided to sell and text me to tell me . All within the four days we were away on a girls trip m. I tried to keep a brave face but by the last day, during one of our excursions, I broke down. I went back in a taxi to the hotel and the others stayed out. We flew home the next day and everyone was quiet but it was an early flight so assumed tired.

Since then things have been frosty, none of them have reached out to see if I was ok really. Contact has become a lot less, and although they would reply to my messages when I ask if they’re ok etc quite friendly- nothing would be instigated by any of them and they’d never message first anymore. If I suggested meeting up, they’d say they weren’t sure if that date could work etc and it would never happen, I asked if I’d done something and all three said no. So I just stopped communicating, as did they (assume they’ve got another group chat) and it was left at that.

Since then, I’ve happened to see all three of them in person at weddings recently and another at a work conference (separately, not together). Big hugs when they see me (coming up to me) “we should do something soon!” I’ve missed spending time with you etc-so I reached out again a few weeks ago, and again radio silence. I also found out that they’d gone round to one of the girls new homes for a house warming and I’d not been invited.

It’s also my 30th today and although they’ve liked the picture of me on instagram with my 30 cake my Nan made (cute!) they’ve not reached out to say happy birthday. I’m probably being pathetic, I just feel sad as I made such a huge deal for their 30th as they did to each other. I just feel confused by their actions.

I should probably cut my losses, but I don’t have any other friends, I keep wondering what I did wrong? And I’m wondering how to make friends in my 30’s? Our hobby was a choir/book club but it’s no longer running and the nearest is 30 miles away.

OP posts:
YorkNew · 02/06/2024 20:28

Happy 30th birthday.

I don’t think they are your friends anymore.

YouveGotAFastCar · 02/06/2024 20:31

It doesn’t sound like you’re all friends anymore. I’m sorry. There’s no real point speculating about why, you may never know.

Happy birthday! How lovely that your Nan made you a cake. Focus on the people you have got today ❤️

Lougle · 02/06/2024 20:34

Happy birthday, and I'm sorry that it's all gone so wrong.

FOJN · 02/06/2024 20:35

Happy Birthday.

Sorry but they're not your friends. You asked them if you had done something wrong and they said no. If there was a problem you can't put it right if they don't say what it is. I wonder if they think all the bad news you received on your trip put a downer on things. Not your fault and not very supportive of them.

Invest your energy in better people. Explore some new hobbies if your old choir/book group is no longer running.

SilentSilhouette · 02/06/2024 20:36

Happy 30th!

I'd ask perhaps one of them if you did something wrong and hope they will tell you.

Communication is key. No point calling it a day until you know why.

OhForFrogSake · 02/06/2024 20:39

Thank you all! :) I guess I’ll never truly know and these things happen.

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NuffSaidSam · 02/06/2024 20:40

Have you messaged them individually? Or just in the group chat? I'd be tempted to select one from the group and pursue a conversation of a meet-up. You'll get a better idea of what's going on that way.

YANBU to be upset though. It's really shit.

GoneFishingToday · 02/06/2024 20:42

First of all HAPPY 30th BIRTHDAY OP!!🎂

I disagree with the previous poster who suggests you shouldn't give up until you know what went wrong. I think these friends showed you how flaky they are when you had problems while you were away with them. Good friends wouldn't have treated you like that, they would have offered support. Looks like they're the sort who only want to have fun, but not a deep friendship. Sadly, there are a lot of people like this around, and it's only very occasionally that you meet up with someone who becomes a long term friend. So stop worrying about what you did wrong, doesn't sound like you did anything. I know it seems hard when you don't have any friends, but better that, than expect people to stand up and be counted when you need them, only to find that they don't.

Enjoy your birthday cake, and don't give them another thought!

MsLuxLisbon · 02/06/2024 20:44

I am so sorry that you've had such a hard time. They sound awful and very unsupportive. I can't believe that they just went on partying when you had all that bad news, and then went frosty on you. It is so hard when you misjudge people, but they aren't good friends. If one of them has something bad happen, they will find that the others aren't there for them, so they will maybe learn their lesson.

UpUpUpU · 02/06/2024 20:44

Happy birthday 🥳

I don’t know the answer regarding your friends but I lost a good friend a few years back after a holiday (free for her as I’d left my partner and so I offered it her for free!) we had a great time (so I thought!) and when we got back she was radio silent then after a few months unfriended me.

Sometimes you just have to let things go and accept you may never know why.

WhatMothersDo22 · 02/06/2024 20:44

Happy birthday 🎈

I never understand why people do this, it’s awful being ignored and left out and the height of childishness IMO. Focus on where you’re at just now and I wouldn’t even bother again with them. I’ve learnt the hard way with people that treat you badly - when they show you who they are the first time, walk away! X

shellyleppard · 02/06/2024 20:47
Happy Birthday GIF by Mumbai Indians

Happy birthday, I'm sorry your "friends" have treated you like shit. Have some flowers 💐🥰💐

OhForFrogSake · 02/06/2024 20:47

No, I haven’t messaged any of them individually but my mum says if I do then they’ll know I’m bothered (I think she’s amazed she’s having to deal with my Y9 esque drama when I’m this age). She’s very wise usually so I try and take her advice.

OP posts:
Shirtdress · 02/06/2024 20:47

You shouldn’t put all your friendship eggs in one basket, ever. These people have only been in your life for four years — what were your friendships like before that? Are there any you could rekindle?

What strikes me most about your post is that you don’t seem to have confided in the others, even when you had this run of bad news during a holiday, but ‘kept a brave face’, which suggests you weren’t that close to them? You say you broke down on the last night and went back to your accommodation early, but it’s not clear whether you actually told them why you were upset?

alittlehopeisadangerousthing · 02/06/2024 20:48

Unfortunately some people just can't cope with other people's suffering and that only comes to light when you suffer have some tragedy or bad news in your life. It's a very common scenario to lose friends when you go through something horrible. It's because they are too afraid to face their own fears. Reallh shitty but one day something will happen to them and they won't have supportive people around. I would try to accept it, as hard as it is, and work on finding new friends through hobbies or meet up groups etc

OhForFrogSake · 02/06/2024 20:51

Shirtdress · 02/06/2024 20:47

You shouldn’t put all your friendship eggs in one basket, ever. These people have only been in your life for four years — what were your friendships like before that? Are there any you could rekindle?

What strikes me most about your post is that you don’t seem to have confided in the others, even when you had this run of bad news during a holiday, but ‘kept a brave face’, which suggests you weren’t that close to them? You say you broke down on the last night and went back to your accommodation early, but it’s not clear whether you actually told them why you were upset?

Hello, they did know and we had discussed it briefly all of the different things going on for me, along with all the goings on in their lives throughout the holiday at dinners and such, but ultimately as hard as it was I didn’t want to put a “downer” on the holiday I guess so I got so far then broke down. I said I’d go back to the hotel as they were about to go on a wine tour and I was a blubbery mess. They continued, I was happy to get a taxi back- I did, and as far as I knew they had a nice time. I was asleep when they got back and the next day we flew home and nothing was said.

OP posts:
Everythingiscalmfornow · 02/06/2024 20:51

Happy birthday!
They sound like Fair Weather friends.
Only interested in sharing the good times.
They didn't step up to support you when you had the series of awful things happening to you in January. That was pretty poor.
I wouldn't take it personally. Some people are just self absorbed and unpleasant. You are better off without people like that.
Hopefully you will make some new true friends.

anon2022anon · 02/06/2024 20:51

Is it a bad thing if they know you're bothered? You like/d them, it's not a bad thing to let them know that you have feelings about this. I don't think you'll get an answer, but I would absolutely approach the one who I thought would be most likely to spill the beans and try to arrange a meet up. And then I'd be like a little squirrel trying to get an answer out of her why.

Harara · 02/06/2024 20:53

Happy birthday!

From what you’ve said they sound awful honestly. I can imagine it may have been very disappointing for them if they had really been looking forward to the girls’ holiday and the bad news then cast a shadow over it, but anyone with any decency and maturity at all would have sucked that up and focused on comforting you given the circumstances.

The stupid ghosting then pretending to your face that everything’s fine is also really pathetic, I can’t bear women (and unfortunately as much as men can be awful in other ways it is women who seem to do this) who are so passively aggressive. If they’re not happy with something you did they should have the guts to tell you so.

I’d forget about them and focus on the better friends you’re going to make in your 30s.

greenmario · 02/06/2024 20:54

F

itsmylife7 · 02/06/2024 20:55

Happy 30th birthday to you. 🍾🥳

Unfortunately, you've seen the real them they only want the fun times.

Any decent friend would've been contacting you to check you're OK.

maudelovesharold · 02/06/2024 20:57

Happy 30th, op! 🎉

When you say you tried to put a brave face on things on holiday, did you actually share any of what was going on in your life with the group? I’m sorry you had several pieces of bad news all at once, but if you didn’t tell them, and then were suddenly so overcome that you had to leave an outing, could they have thought you were being overly dramatic? I can’t think of any other reason why a group of friends wouldn’t rally round and be supportive, if they knew what you were going through. If they were just miffed that the holiday couldn’t go to plan because you were upset, then it doesn’t reflect well on them.

Howbizarre22 · 02/06/2024 21:00

Happy birthday lovely!! 🎶😊💐

I’m sorry to hear about all the things you went through sounds really hard. And those btw were not true friends…believe me it’s better to have no friends than shallow ones!! So unkind they knew how upset you were but none of them would check in with you after that. So fake that they pretend to care when you ran into them. You’re well rid.
Join another group or club or even a friendship app- there’s loads around these days. Be yourself, be open, smile & you’ll make new friends in time. Cheers! 🥂 x

Trinity69 · 02/06/2024 21:01

Sorry your friends are rubbish. Happy Birthday, birthday buddy, it’s mine today too! 💐

OhForFrogSake · 02/06/2024 21:05

Trinity69 · 02/06/2024 21:01

Sorry your friends are rubbish. Happy Birthday, birthday buddy, it’s mine today too! 💐

@Trinity69 Happy birthday fellow birthday buddy and Gemini! I hope you’ve had a lovely day 🎂 🎈

OP posts: