DEAR ANNIE: I’m hoping you can help me make sense of a situation that feels so small on the surface, yet so big in my heart.

A few months ago, my closest friend, “Melissa,” and I fell into one of those quiet, accidental distances. Nothing dramatic happened. No argument. No betrayal. Just life. She got busy with her kids’ sports schedules, and I got swallowed up by work and caring for my aging mom. Weeks turned into months, and suddenly we were two people who used to talk every day but now exchange the occasional “thinking of you” text that never leads anywhere.

I tried reaching out, a few calls, a couple invitations to walk or grab coffee, and she always replied warmly, but with that gentle “I’m so slammed right now” tone. I believed her, but each time I hung up, I felt a little foolish,

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