Somebody that I used to know

I have found myself vibing to old songs recently and by old songs, I'm talking about those from the 80s and 90s (the likes of Elvis Presley, Elton John and Lionel Richie) and also songs from 2011, specifically the song by Gotye and Kimbra titled titled “somebody that I used to know”. I guess you can already tell from the title what this song is all about but just in case you still don't get the picture, this part of the lyrics might paint it better;

But you didn't have to cut me off;
Make out like it never happened and that we were nothing ;
And I don't even need your love;
But you treat me like a stranger, and that feels so rough;
No, you didn't have to stoop so low;
Have your friends collect your records and then change your number;
I guess that I don't need that, though;
Now you're just somebody that I used to know

Source

We have all been there, right? It might not be with lovers but with friends (especially friends) who we suddenly just stop talking to and we don't even know why. I have had a fair share of both worlds; lovers that suddenly turned strangers and friends that become acquaintances, it's something that has actually become a habit (albeit a bad one) and I guess I can say I am very bad at keeping friends. It's even crazier because I have a hard time making friends and now I'm even losing the few that I've got.

I used to date a girl in my class back when I was in the university and we were always seen together which my classmates thought was cute but deep down, I already had some thoughts about how it would end because that's how they usually end. I guess my mentality was the thing that set the stage for it to all come crashing down. Things eventually ended just the way I thought and the once cute couple became strangers who simply walk past each other with not even a hello.

I didn't know how it happened, nor did I even bother to find out why it happened, everything just suddenly “ended” one day. I guess I figured it would be easier to pretend like it never happened rather than actually confronting the problem. It's always easier to run from our demons, isn't it? The same has happened with friends as well; one week I'm always talking with this person all the time and the following week, we just start viewing each other's status on Whatsapp without saying anything to each other.

I don't even feel bad when these things happen, I just accept it as being part of life because there are a million reasons why these things happen. Sometimes it's a gradual drifting which you won't even realize is happening until it's too late. Some other times it's as a result of the slow removal of shared interests and dreams; either you or the person picked up a new interest and they end up focusing on that. Or maybe it's a life-altering event that reshapes who you are, and sometimes, it’s as simple as growing in different directions; no blame, no fault, just the quiet ache of incompatibility.

People generally celebrate new beginnings and fresh starts but there's something powerful about acknowledging the weight of what we have lost, of the connection that has faded over the years. It's a testament to the lives we have lived, the love we have shared and the ways we have been shaped by the people who have passed through our lives. So, let's all raise a glass to the somebodies we used to know, to the lovers who became strangers and the friends that drifted away. They may no longer walk beside us but their footprints are etched in different paths of our life.

Thanks for reading

Connect with me on:
Twitter: @kushyzeena
Readcash: @kushyzee