I can totally relate to this, except for the birthday part. Birthdays were never my thing lol

The only one birthday I can remember is my 23rd birthday when I spent the night reading the news with two of my friends in their place (I didn't even tell them it was my birthday) And the reason I remember it is because that day, what was happening in Egypt was declared as a revolution that was named after my birthday.

Also, I wouldn't call it a good thing to lose a friend, I think it's rather a necessary evil. We don't want to let go of them, but we need to when some certain conditions happen, and those conditions aren't a good thing to see happening.