I was depressed, and as such, all I could see in front of me was my own pain. I was consumed with it; it was a lens through which I viewed the entire world and I couldn’t escape that. The problem was I hadn’t communicated that to my friend and she felt neglected. After explaining the situation, she was able to extend grace to me and I was able to meet her halfway and put more effort into our friendship. Since then, I‘ve compiled a list of tips to get better at maintaining my relationships.