Disconnect?

Evening!  Getting on here super late today, just busy, busy, and I like quiet when I post so I can kinda get into my own head.  :)
I don't know how long or short this will be, or any post for that matter, till I get into it...just depends on where my mind goes, or how emphatic I am about the subject.
So disconnect.....
Have you ever wondered when or if it's time to disconnect, disassociate, disengage, or slowly drift away from someone?  Not necessarily referring to a spouse or significant other, but anyone...family, friends, co-workers, etc.  You know the saying, goes something like, friends come into your life for a reason, a season, or a lifetime.  When you get to a point in a relationship that you think you kinda know it was just a reason or a season, when, how, or do you, say good-bye?  These are rhetorical questions, by the way, thinking out loud.  Every friend, or even family member for that matter, has touched our lives in some way, at some point.  They have each been a blessing in their own way at one time or another.  But sometimes, it's just time to move on.  Why?  Who knows...refer back to saying, reason/season...the saying exists because it happens.  But how do you "break-up"?  Or do you officially "break-up"?  Probably not, because there wasn't a fight, disagreement or anything of the sort, it just doesn't work anymore.  So what's better or worse....letting a relationship just fade away? That could cause hurt feelings because the other person/people may not understand what happened, or why you fell off the face of the Earth, so to speak.  Or do you talk about it, and run the risk of hurting feelings that way?  And what would you even say?  I try to be a nice, loving friend and family member. I don't think I necessarily have the nerve to say to anyone, "Hey, it was great, but now, not so much, and let's just part our ways."  No real reason given, because no real reason exists.  Maybe deep down there are little reasons, here and there, but nothing worth sharing because then it may cause a petty fight or hard feelings.  And you don't want the relationship to end that way, because it was good, in it's time.  People change, situations change.  Obviously I've broken up with friends, by losing touch, I guess that's how it happens most often.  You find less of a reason to call, or send an email....and it drifts away.  Harder with people you were closer too....more emotions involved.  I never have this discussion with anyone out loud because even just typing it is making me feel selfish and shallow.  Because it's quite possible I may feel the impending break-up, but maybe that other person/people still need me or the friendship in some way.  So if their reason or season isn't complete, who am I to cut it short?  Maybe the right answer is, you just let it drift away, that way you are sure, or you can at least assume, that both parties are in the same emotional/mental place regarding the relationship. No more effort on both sides, would seal the deal at some point.  But then do you end up with 2 people that don't really know what happened, and does that even matter?  I guess that is best.  Then when you look back, you can say "Yes, I know that person. We were very close at one point, then we just kinda drifted apart, but they were a great friend/co-worker/mentor, etc."  Because if you said something to end it, even under the best of intentions, the other person may say, "Um yeah I know that chick. That bitch felt the need to "break-up" our friendship for no real reason." LOL
OK see, the glory of the blog, maybe typing/thinking out loud answered my own questions on the topic.  OK, maybe not, one more....if you decide to just let it drift apart naturally, what if it never happens?  It hangs on, no direction, no real purpose.  You can't set a time limit.  What if you're done, and the other person isn't, so the contacting continues, even though you're no longer comfortable.  I guess you continue to be a good friend/family member.  The person needs you for some reason.  God is putting them or keeping them in our path for some reason.  Maybe they don't have anyone else, maybe they need an ear, maybe God keeps them there because they need to hear about Him...but there isn't anyone else in their lives who will deliver His message.  Everything, everyone....every reason, every season, happens, well, for a reason.

I will keep plugging along, listening to His word and His messages, and help those in my paths along the way.  It's the right thing to do.

Maybe when it's all said and done in this posting, I've realized that determining the strength or length of any relationship isn't up to me at all.