"We work so hard for something that is so fleeting. The feeling of winning-it just doesn't last that long. When I sit back at the end of the year and reflect on things, I have a deep sense of gratitude, but it just doesn't satisfy."
Friendships sometimes fall to the wayside out of not malice but unintended neglect. When life's responsibilities pile up, performing the requisite (though enjoyable) friendship maintenance can sink lower and lower on the to-do list.