We are almost at the end of the year.
A new year is only a couple of weeks away.
It’s that time when we reflect, make new resolutions, and consciously cut away our losses, what no longer serves us—especially what has cost us our peace of mind.
This year, I was deeply affected by something we now casually call ghosting.
Ghosting, simply put, is when someone cuts off all communication without explanation.
No conversation.
No closure.
No acknowledgment.
Just silence.
I was at the receiving end of this phenomenon, I was a ghostee.
The ghoster was someone I have known for years, someone who had seen me at my lowest, someone who claimed to know me, my soft spots, my struggles.
Accepting that truth was incredibly hard. I felt a tremendous amount of sadness. One day we were talking for hours, and the very next day, they were gone.
I found myself questioning everything.
Were we ever even friends?
Was any of it real?
There were no answers.
And then it hit me—the other person’s silence was the answer.
It was actually very clear.
It’s how they choose to communicate with me.
“I don’t want to talk to you, and I don’t want to tell you why.”
But looking back, it didn’t happen overnight.
There were telltale signs, I just chose to ignore them.
They had emotionally checked out long before they vanished.
But I was in denial. I wanted to give them the benefit of the doubt. I held on because I had invested so much time, energy, and care into this relationship.
I know I’m not everyone’s cup of tea. I give people chances—often more than one. I offer grace and understanding before deciding to pursue or walk away. Anyone who knows me knows this: I don’t just disappear.
Before exiting any relationship, I communicate. I call. I text. I email. I ask a mutual person to intervene if needed. I exhaust every possible avenue to clear misunderstandings and find common ground.
But for that to happen, there first has to be an acknowledgment that something is wrong.
I can’t fix what I’m not made aware of.
So I kept showing up while they slowly backed away.
Until one day, they were just… gone.
Ghosting wasn’t the start of the ending.
It was the ending.
By choosing silence, they told me everything they were unwilling to say:
“You’re not worth my time or effort.”
And that realization hurt.
It sent me into overthinking mode—replaying conversations, questioning moments, wondering what went wrong, when it changed, and whether any of it was ever real. When I finally accepted that the silence was the answer, it hurt more than honesty ever would have.
Maybe they thought words weren’t enough.
Maybe they believed silence was a dignified exit.
But silence doesn’t offer dignity—it transfers pain.
As I work toward making peace with it, I’ve realized something important: it wasn’t about me.
Their ghosting was never about me—it was about them.
It was their choice to disappear instead of having a conversation.
So here’s what I’m choosing now.
I’m choosing respect over disappearance.
I’m focusing on myself.Investing in my growth and my mental health.
My life will not pause because someone vanished without explanation.
And I want to leave you with this food for thought:
Before you ghost someone, pause.
If you’re no longer interested—say so. Especially if you’ve invested time in building that relationship. Yes, your peace matters—but it goes both ways.
Ghosting hurts far more than honesty ever will.
Sometimes, a single message can bring closure.
And if you’ve been ghosted—choose yourself and keep walking forward.
Gracefully.
Your peace matters more than someone who cannot communicate.
Focus on those who value you, respect you, and choose you—out loud, not in silence.
What are some of the things you are giving up or going to work on in 2026?
Sharing a link to the previous post in case you missed it.
https://www.rekhasrambling.com/2025/12/ghosting-it-hurts-more-than-you-know.html
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