I have kids, and I love them more than anything, and can't picture life without them. BUT, I agree wit Spats on this one.

Late thirties. Your description pretty much hits the nail on the head. What I find interesting about this experience and my conversation with him yesterday is

a) He really couldn't see any value in flying together. Like the idea of simply having an excuse to hang out together, share an experience, help each other, problem solve together, and have some fun -- all that was completely foreign to him.

b) Because he thought the whole idea to be stupid one, he was simply dismissive and disrespectful. Not even taking the time to honor a different perspective and respond appropriately. I think this behavior may increase with the reclusiveness and disillusionment.

Maybe men like him are reclusive and disillusioned because they've missed the train. Or maybe they've missed the train (and continue to miss it) because they choose the path of reclusiveness and disillusionment. (And then they can look down on the rest of humanity, too, as a bunch bumbling fools)

I think it's funny spats, how you ONLY talk about one thing. Over and over, repeating the same thing. Other subjects don't seem to interest you.

He's a total freak & may have bugged out on the plane ride, which would have been awful for you.

It's also great to look @ people for who they really are, sometimes our friendship clouds our judgement. We're so used to a person being in our lives & it doesn't occur to us to re-evaluate how the person (& what they've evolved into) fits into our lives now.

I think he did you a favor w/ his bluntness. People who don't feel emotion/connection with others literally scare me - they're hurtful folks & tend to only think about themselves. Doesn't make for a good friendship in the long run.

Sounds like reducing him to a casual acquaintance is in order imo...

This is exactly what I'm coming to terms with. Thanks. I really don't want to be around people who will hurt me like that.

It's weird after knowing someone for so long. We get attached to the memories, I think, but it can be unhealthy to cling to old friendships sometimes, I guess.

Totally true Had a friend not quite like that but had a definite emotional disconnect from other human beings. Eventually that reared its head in our friendship. It was ugly but that's the person he was, it had to happen sooner or later.

It's better to be fond of the memories but open your eyes to the person before you