Have you ever heard the story about the little boy who loved his teddy bear so much that he squeezed and squeezed it until it actually fell into pieces and ceased being a teddy bear? The bear is eventually reassembled full of patches and scars that make him a better bear because he is assembled out of love. This little parable offers a metaphor for life, but what if the boy literally squeezed the bear to death.

You can't force another person into a better state-of-mind just by being kind to that person. Love and compassion are well intended, but they do not necessarily facilitate a positive outcome for everyone. You can't control another person's reactions and responses to you. You could pray for a person and envision someone with a more loving heart, but sometimes people need time and space to process emotions. 

Although love traditionally means thoughtfulness and caring, sometimes it can equal space and letting go. Giving another person the space can be the best way to love that person.

That is a challenging perspective for me to understand because when I was sick and in the hospital once, the thoughtfulness and caring of my friends got me through it all. At the same time, I had a number of friends who disappeared during my hardship. That felt like being punched in the stomach. As a result, I vowed to never let a friend go when he or she is suffering, but in some cases, space and distance is, in fact the best gift you can give your friend. 

If love does in fact equal letting a person go, it will end up being the only way to know if you have a real friend or not. If the person is really your friend, he or she will return to your life. If not, you are both free to make new friends and be happy however that manifests in your life.

Be sensitive to your friends when they need some space because you can!