When “Stay in Touch” Means Goodbye

I came across this quote the other day from Edward St. Aubyn — “They had drifted apart, as people do when they promise to stay in touch; the ones who are going to stay in touch don’t need to promise.” Wow. Hit me like a shot of tequila at closing time. It’s so true, right? We’ve all done it. It cuts right to the heart of how human connections often fade. The promise to “stay in touch” is usually a polite gesture — social grease to ease the exit. The people who genuinely stay in each other’s lives don’t need to say it; they just do. They call, they text, they show up. It’s not about intent, it’s about effort.

Image: Theerapong Khaotong/Vecteezy