When the Tribe Fades: A Story of Friendship, Loss, and Healing
I sit here on my couch, looking out the window on a beautiful spring evening. The sun is setting, the breeze is gentle, and everything is still. It reminds me of evenings years ago—when I would be out with my friends, laughing over appetizers and cocktails, sharing our lives, our wins, and our worries. I had my tribe. My people. My circle of belonging.
Back then, we talked every day. We did life together—errands, dinners, deep talks, and spontaneous laughs. I felt purpose. I felt accepted.
Fast forward to today. The group chat is silent. The phone doesn’t buzz like it used to. And more often than not, I wind down my evenings alone with a book or a quiet show.
It wasn’t always this way. When I first moved to Florida, I longed for friendship and belonging. I missed my “Solid Rock” friends—people I’ve known since I was 14, who love me in all my forms, no matter the miles. I tried to recreate that circle here, but parenting and adulthood made it harder.
Eventually, I became a teacher. In the middle of burnout, we bonded—complaining, coping, and laughing through the chaos. I found connection again. I found my second tribe.
But when I left teaching to pursue my dream of becoming a licensed therapist, everything changed. Without our shared struggle, the connection crumbled. Cracks I hadn’t seen before became impossible to ignore.
Some friendships ended abruptly. Others just faded. And I was left wondering—what happened? Was it me? Was I too much? Too sensitive? Too different?
So I sought therapy. I journaled. I read. I dug deep. And slowly, with time, I healed.
Today, I still miss those bonds. But I’ve learned to embrace my own company. I read more. Walk more. Spend intentional time with my family. And I hold onto the lifelong friendships that are still thriving, even from a distance.
And maybe most importantly—I’ve made peace with the truth that not all friendships are meant to last forever. Some bonds are built on shared pain, and when the pain fades, so do the ties.
To anyone reading this, who feels like they’ve lost their circle, their people, their sense of belonging—please know:
You are not alone.
Life changes. Friendships shift. But healing is always available.
And there is always space to begin again.
LMHC State Florida
LPC. State Colorado,
M.S, M.S.E.d
IEP/Parent Educator
