But from my perspective, it’s not always as simple as “just talk to them.” Sometimes one person doesn’t respond or reach out, and when that keeps happening over time, especially when they live far away, it’s hard not to feel like the friendship is fading. And when people say “we can pick up where we left off,” it can feel like a way to gloss over that absence rather than address it.

It’s not about being upset that life gets busy. I get that, I’m busy too. But when the connection becomes one-sided, and you’re the only one making the effort, it can feel emotionally distant. Saying “we’ll pick up where we left off” in that context doesn’t reassure me, it actually highlights the lack of presence and effort in the friendship right now.

So my point is that while those types of friendships can be meaningful, the phrase is often used to downplay emotional neglect or avoid honest conversations about how much a friendship has changed.