I'm just here reflecting on a few faded friendships over the years. Not romantic relationships, but genuine friendships that I felt will stand the test of time. Of course I still have some of those, but some have unsurprisingly failed over the years and it brings some interesting insights. I've never been one for drama, so I've never had a case (at least that I can recall) where there was a major fallout with anyone I called a friend.
Instead what happens is more like a fizzle. It starts going downhill somewhat naturally and eventually passes the point of no return. Of course sometimes we both notice when things start to deteriorate, but there simply isn't a determined effort from both parties to turn things around. There are a few that I've sustained by sheer will, but most times when there isn't a mutual interest in maintaining the effort, I just let it go.
Perhaps the biggest reason for faded friendships is a drift in goals. Even when we still hold similar values and have the tendency to Still have relaxed fun, the differences in what we pursue per time often takes us down very different paths which narrows our focus, and certainly makes us concentrate more on ourselves. Of course this isn't as bad as it may sound, as being focused on individual interests does birth some beautiful things. Regardless, the higher we grow the more we align those who complement us.