Sometimes, being used and then abandoned by a close friend you once trusted can be one of the most lonely experiences of your life. Just this summer, I made a decision to stay in San Diego largely based on the promises of her, and I think just about now that friendship is over. I realize that sometimes, friendships fade away because of lack of time, effort, etc. but this one ended rather abruptly with a single phone call. Maybe because both of us had changed so much and it was hard to see eye-to-eye anymore.

The person who is taken advantage of is the stronger one, and if you're in this situation you're the one who can bounce back. It's like the story of the goose who laid golden eggs. Your (former) friend is the farmer who can take as many of your golden eggs as she wants if you keep trusting her. However, she doesn't have the ability to make her own eggs. She still relies on you to make the eggs for her, and at the end of the friendship you are still empowered to care for yourself in the future while she is left with memories of the past.