Victims of Vanishing
"Absence makes the
Heart grow Fonder," but
with how Time passes-
Will we wait much longer?
-
Some of my friends
tend to Vanish; always
by Their own terms -
Never Banishment.
-
Often choosing Solitude
Over Visitors. Then,
Is it Wrong to assume
the Worst has happened?
-
Afraid to start conversation,
Unaware of their Situation:
Perhaps Trapped while Hiding,
or Moving On without me.
-
I battle lingering carelessness,
despite it renders me Helpless.
To stay Compassionate and Tender for
the Vanished, I still consider "friends".
- - - - -
The other night, I saw an old friend for the first time in months - the last time I recall seeing him was the 2016-Holiday season. I was in poor shape, battling seasonal illness at that time. We talked briefly, but he told me to return home and rest. That would be our last encounter for some time. I understand he may be busy prioritizing work and life, so I don't bother him much at this point. I always avoid getting in people's path for convenience sake, but I can't help but wonder how they're doing when we don't communicate. I suppose this is adulthood, knowing that there's never enough leisure time as we'd want.
There are people who say, "life is too short to let opportunity pass by," as encouragement to invest time and effort into the things we care about. I just find it challenging to reach out to those who have vanished from the public eye. How do you approach someone who ostracizes themselves so easily? When you care about them so much, but you respect their desire to remain in solitude. I mean, Who knows what they're sorting out. The goal is not to drag them out of their shell, but to at least show some compassion. The simple truth being that part of us thinks about them enough to be missed.
To anyone I've ever befriended and tried to sustain friendship over silence. If someone is reaching out, they're making an effort, because they care for you.