ETA - Am not sure if this is the right place for this so please let me know if it'd be better somewhere else. Thanks
This is a largely hypothetical question, but it’s been on my mind recently.
I’ve just found out that someone I used to work with has been told they only have about six months to live. We were never especially close, and since I left that company years ago, we haven’t spoken or interacted much—maybe the odd “like” on Instagram, but that’s about it. When we did work together, though, we got on well enough and would share a laugh whenever our roles overlapped.
They’re not the first former colleague I’ve heard of being diagnosed with a terminal illness, and in those cases I didn’t reach out either. It wasn’t out of malice or avoidance, more that we’d drifted out of each other’s lives, and I felt strange about getting in touch only because I’d heard they were dying.
I’m not beating myself up over it, but it has got me thinking. I’d be curious to hear what other people would do in this situation. Would you reach out, or just leave it be?