When a Friendship Ends

An old and dear friend ended our friendship by text. I'm still not sure why. She ended the text with, "I wish you the best." I was very upset, and let her know this in an email that she never responded to.

When friendships change or end, it can be very painful. If there's a big blow up before hand, at least you know why the relationship ended. But if there wasn't a fight and the friend just stopped communicating, this can not only be hurtful, but angering.

We all know how hard it can be when a romantic relationship ends. A close love relationship breaking up, especially a marriage, can be one of the most stressful, if not traumatic, of life's experiences.

But friendships ending can be really awful too -- but not always acknowledged for the heartbreak that it can cause. If you lose your best friend, this can be, arguably, even more painful than the loss of a love relationship.

It's not easy to form close relationships with friends. The good ones take years to build. For many people, trust doesn't come easily. And when they end, the aftermath can feel like a hole in the heart.

What to do when this happens, when a close friend and you go your separate ways? How does one cope if a friend betrays you or dumps you for no reasons?

While there are no easy answers, it's important to acknowledge the enormity of the matter. It's not a small thing to lose a close friend. And it can take time to let go of the enormous hurt, anger, and sadness. Sometimes the feelings don't go away completely, either.

There's an old expression: It's better to have loved and lost than never to have loved again. I think this applies to friendships as well.

If you have been a good friend, congratulate yourself. If your behavior negatively affected the friendship, learn from it and apply to other relationships.

And know that friendships can come and go; cherish the ones that you do have and the people who appreciate and love you.