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I lost my best female friend of eight years recently to marriage. As weird as that may sound, it’s the truth. What happened to me in this situation, I don’t wish upon anyone, because it’s very hurtful. All I can hope for is that others will read this and take precautions to avoid doing this to one of your best friends if you meet the man or woman of your dreams.

My friendship with (I’ll call her Jill), started off back in 2007. Jill and I had a lot in common, whether the food we ate, the arts we enjoyed, cultural exhibits, going to fun events together, and many other things. I was her “go-to guy” for when she had boyfriend trouble. I can’t remember how much advice I’ve given her over the years because it is a tremendous amount. But I can safely say, I have done more with Jill in the 8 years as her friend than I have with any girlfriend in my life. And this is why my story is painful to tell.

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About four months ago, Jill invited me to a party.  She wanted to introduce me to her new “boyfriend”, whom she had literally just met like the day before. She said she was,”in love”. I was actually kind of shocked because given her track record, I thought she would be more careful. Especially after a previous conversation when we went to hear the Philadelphia orchestra perform, whereas she told me she was giving up on men,  taking it easy, and focusing on herself and her business. Well that went right out the window.

Whether she knew it or not, I was actually happy for her. She has not been treated well by men, and as her best friend, I felt for her, more than she will ever know. I was happy that she found someone with whom she could start a life.  Where I was unhappy, was how she treated me in the process. I was forgotten. I was left behind. It was as if she and I were soldiers on a battlefield, I was shot, and she didn’t come back for me. The wound was made, and she expected me to heal it on my own. That’s not what friends do. Friends are there for friends no matter what. It doesn’t matter if you meet a new lover. It doesn’t matter if you start a new business. It doesn’t matter if something tragic happens in your life. Friends should always be there for their friends.

I love the saying from the Bible: Treat others the same way you want them to treat you.  Well, if Jill was following this saying, she made it pretty clear that she wanted to have nothing to do with me. Of course, four months later she randomly texts me to let me know that she married this stranger, and that they live together (well that was lightning fast).  She expected me to be happy for her and pick up where we left off. This coming from a friend who I no longer thought was a friend. My question to everyone out there is: If you meet a significant other, and start a relationship with them, does that mean you should toss your best friend(s) aside?  Those friends that were there for years.  Shouldn’t you still talk to them at least once a week, and meet with them for coffee or some fun event like you used to do at least every other week?  Why does it have to be one or the other?

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Personally, anyone who knows me, knows that I will never, ever, NEVER, EVER, ditch a friend for a girlfriend. I never have in 38 years, and I never will. That’s completely disrespectful, uncalled for, immature, and shows a huge lack of empathy. Funny enough, I decided to be the better man and invited my long lost friend to a party that I am throwing soon. After a brief a scuffle via text message when I voiced my opinion, she is now not coming to the party.  I’m sorry, but I will never bite my tongue, and definitely will not hold back my opinion, especially when it comes to a so-called “best friend”.  I now realize that my friend is lost forever, in a long-lost land called marriage. If this is what traveling to that land is like, then count me out. I would rather stay single, and be happy with my friends and my family, then jeopardize the friendship(s) that I have, over just one person (who may one day disappear).  Friendship lasts forever, marriage does not, as we all well know.

Good luck to you Jill, I hope your marriage brings you all the happiness in the world.  I hope that your husband treats you how you want to be treated. I hope that your husband does things with you that you truly love to do. The things we used to do together. Above all, I hope that the next time you make a new friend, that you don’t push them aside for anything in the world, not a husband, not a job, and not even a tragic event.  Nothing is worth losing a friendship over.

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