I read a bit on ghosting yesterday since there's a few friends I haven't heard from for a long, long time. Typically with almost any situation you experience, you've been a perpetrator of a similar act. So after reading about ghosting, I wondered if I ever ghosted anyone and why? I never intentionally ghosted anyone, but I have been out of contact with people for a long time mostly because I was very, very busy and simply didn't have enough time for meaningful contact. Yet, when people reach out to me, I almost always respond, and if I don't respond it's because I forgot--the message simply got lost amongst other matters at the moment.
If someone ghosts me and I know they are busy with good people and activity, I don't worry much. I know those people are busy living their lives in positive ways, but if I'm ghosted by someone who appears to be struggling, I worry. In these cases, it seems like people are avoiding me and that makes me uncomfortable. I never want anyone to struggle without needed support or care. Yet, I also want to give people the space and time they need to live their lives as they wish. That kind of ghosting plus struggle is disconcerting, worrisome, and confusing.
When it's ghosting plus struggle, I'll keep an open line of communication and reach out now and then so people know I'm here, but I won't push too much. Onward.