And just like that, it was over.

That thing that had been gnawing at her insides.
That one-sided thing, that should have always been two.
That thankless effort, that unacknowledged fight.
Without great fanfare, almost without recognition
It was over.
And she let go.
She did not hate.
She did not fuel herself with spite.
She learned to love from a distance.
She left it to smolder
It burned itself out.

I wrote this poem three years ago. It was the beginning of the end, and I knew it, but I also didn’t know how to stop it. Ending a long-term friendship is tough. Most times, they are the ones who have been with you through the ending of romantic relationships, the horror of first dates, the excitement of new love, and the random drama that finds its way into your often mundane life. They were your cheerleader, you were their confidant. They’re the ones you rode the wave with, when neither of you had a clue what would happen next.

And sometimes, what happens next doesn’t include them. It’s no one’s fault really. We all continue to grow and discover more about ourselves, and sometimes we discover that we grew apart. You don’t view things the same way anymore, and one or both of you has gone down a different path.

Or maybe someone is to blame. They stopped making time for you, or you stopped showing interest in their life. Maybe one of you made a mistake, and neither of you can move past it. Either way, you both know it’s never really going to be the same.

In either instance, it’s okay to let go. It’s okay to acknowledge the love that was once there, and will maybe always be there. But it’s also okay to love from a distance; to want nothing but good things for them, even if that no longer includes you. Life will sometimes bring people back to you, but if that never happens or if you choose not to let them back in, it’s okay to accept that sometimes best friends aren’t forever.

-Just a thought

Written By: SM Grady

© 2017 SM Grady