I know the friendship is changing when I sound careful

Dear Delyara, Not the delayed reply, not the cancellation, not the vague message. My own body. My own tone. When I start reducing warmth, lowering emotional risk, checking myself before I say ordinary things, I know something has shifted in a way that matters. Because friendship should not feel like management. It should feel like room. I don’t think people talk enough about how grief can begin long before anything officially ends. Sometimes it begins the moment you hear caution in your own voice where ease used to live.