I want to think of myself as a very reliable friend, I try to be when I'm needed; some times, as we grow older, it is impossible to ditch our responsibilities to be with our loved ones and friends at all occasions. It is understandable, and I get it, I have been in these situations. But I reach out to try and make the bridge smaller, all I expect is acknowledgment -not too hard to do, right? More than often, I have to decline invites of all sorts for different reasons each time, but mostly because of work. But I reply to their messages, and inform them as to why I cannot make it. Later on, I am no longer invited, or I simply disappear from their contact list and I get a 'who is this?' which is okay, shit happens and any one can lose their information on their phone. And after that, slowly, we become strangers.
It's sad that friendship can end just like that.