Letting a friendship fade gracefully beats staging a dramatic ending for one you’ve just outgrown.

Not every ending needs a scene. When a friendship has run out of road, a confrontation gives it a false importance and leaves both of you with a story that hurts far longer than the drifting would have. Fading is quieter and usually kinder, and it closes the door without slamming it.

If someone has stopped fitting, stop forcing the contact and let the gaps lengthen. Be warm when you do see them, and decline without building a case. You can be friendly to someone you are no longer close to.