last night i had a heart-to-heart with a friend/co-worker about our strained friendship. we’d been distancing ourselves from each other for the past year because of some misunderstandings. it made me sad for a while, especially since i was struggling with mental health, so losing a friend felt like a punch in the solar plexus. but then i came to terms with the possibility that we might never talk again, but this acceptance was not out of resentment, just the realization that some friends are not meant to be close friends.
but it all changed yesterday. we didn’t even plan to have that talk, it just came out organically during a casual chat after a long period of no real conversations, just the occasional forced small talk since we see each other at work all the time. this time we talked for hours, like we used to before our falling out, and eventually addressed the elephant in the room. we both realized that we had unknowingly done things that made each other feel unseen and hurt in the past, so we apologized and forgave each other. i’m really glad that we had a heart-to-heart where we could be honest about our feelings without being defensive or blaming each other. it was all about understanding one another, acknowledging our shortcomings, learning from our mistakes, and taking accountability for our actions.
having a heart-to-heart is special. navigating a conflict is uncomfortable, but it’s an opportunity for growth and deeper connection.
