Strangers In Passing

How can dear friends become strangers?

Most times I write to offer opinions and suggestions on how to we can be better imitators of Christ in a violently broken world. Today, however, I am seeking suggestions on to engage the problem of when great friends turn into complete strangers. This is an problem that has consumed my heart and mind for over a month now. Briefly summarized, almost two months ago now I took the opportunity to be vulnerably honest with a dear friend. I was not rude, offensive, nor demeaning. Just completely genuine. I expected my honesty to evoke a number of responses, yet at this moment silence has been the only consequence.

I've tried repeatedly to get in contact with this friend since my moment of truth, but again without success. I'm trying to contact this person to let them know that I am not avoiding them. My question is simply this, does there come a point when one stops contacting a friend who is avoiding you and accept that you've become strangers? Or does one continue to make an occasional attempt to reach your friend in the of hope resurrecting the friendship?

I wish I knew the reason for my friend's silence since it seems really out of their character. The reason I don't know is because this person wont respond. With each passing day I lose a memory of our friendship. What happens when all the memories are gone? Lost will be the friend I once laughed with. Forgotten will be the friend that taught me so much. All there will be left to remember is that the next time we meet it could be as strangers in passing.




CJE

Read more...