Dead to Me

It’s easier than ever to never see someone again.

Relationships feel more fragile than ever, even outside of romantic ones.

A short farewell text that leaves little room for discussion can do the trick, but even ghosting can be reasonable, depending on the circumstance. It’s not ideal, maybe even rude, but it’s common now and widely understood. We’ve all been there.

We live in the information age. Never have we had so many options at once, and so much propaganda telling us to cut people off in the name of preserving “peace” and mental clarity. What we’re left with is a slew of shallow, transactional relationships.

I’m guilty of it too. Sometimes I don’t feel much, knowing I probably won’t see someone again. It’s happened so often I almost expect it. Then there are the ones who leave their mark, whose absence sticks with you. Or maybe it’s the absence of the feeling they gave you.

I’ve had fond farewells, the mutual well-wishes with amicable endings. Some farewells never happen at all, when people leave without a word. Other times, things end explosively, full of resentment.

In the end, all you can do is hope everyone’s well and keep moving forward. The show stops for no one.

There’s eight billion people on the planet. Whatever void someone leaves, you’ll find someone (or something) new to fill it.