We usually start thinking about detachment only after we’ve already been caught up in attachment. It comes when we feel like things are too heavy or when closeness starts to feel difficult to handle.
For me, I think I’m in a stage where I’m learning what giving space really means. People only learn to give space once they know what it feels like to need it themselves.
I’ve always been an extrovert. I like talking to people, and most of the time people catch my vibe quickly. But when it comes to making real friends, I take my time. I’ve been used to doing everything on my own, so letting someone new in doesn’t happen overnight.
Lately, I’ve had a few people come into my life who matter to me. I like them a lot. But the truth is, I don’t always say what I feel. I don’t check in daily. I don’t always ask how they’re doing. And because of that, I worry they feel a kind of distance from me.
It’s not that I don’t care. It’s just that not long ago, I had no one to text or call or ask, “How’s everything going?” So now when I think about checking in, I stop myself. I overthink it. I don’t want to feel like I’m invading their space.
And here’s something people forget: if someone has lived their whole life alone—handling responsibilities, carrying pain in silence, even walking through something as heavy as the cremation of their loved ones by themselves—it’s not easy for them to suddenly give space to new people. To let others in quickly is almost impossible. They are not pushing you away; they are just learning how to share a life they’ve only ever carried alone.
That’s where detachment comes in for me. Sometimes it’s not about walking away. It’s about giving time, giving comfort, and letting the other person open up at their own pace.
Yes, it might feel like one person is putting in more effort, but often the other is just learning how to share. A short while ago, you weren’t even part of their life. Now they are trying to make space for you. That takes time.
Vibes change. Energy shifts. Nothing stays the same forever. And that’s okay.
For me, detachment is not about being cold. It’s about respecting space while still caring. It’s about loving without holding too tightly and showing I care without the fear of being “too much.”