Friend gave me unsolicited opinions and and I'm not sure what to make of it
For context, I have a friend who is currently self-described in most areas of life. In the past, I have given these friend a lot of support through many different types of situations. We currently do not live in the same place but I called to tell them that I would be moving back. We had pre-planned a time to talk which happened to coinside with a day that one of my parent's was diagnosed with a serious illness. I have spent the past couple of years near my parents, putting a lot of things on hold. I've just minded my business and not complained while still showing up for my friends. It's time for me to get back on track with my career, life goals etc.
So I'm telling my friend what I think is positive news and I mention my parent (they talk about their parents too) and she immediately launches into this argument about why I shouldn't leave and how I'll regret being away from my parents it and how if I "really wanted to move back then I would have years ago". What is the relevance of that? For context, she lives very far from her parents by choice, does not provide any support for them and has a good relationship with them.
I tell her how I'm ready to meet a partner and it's not going happen here in the suburbs. She argues with me that I should try harder (she's married). I do not have a history of being in bad relationships so it's not a situation where she would be tired of hearing me talk about a bad relationship etc. I tell her I'm ready to have kids (she has kids). She tells me that I can just put it off.
She felt extremely strongly about all of this, was talking a mile a minute and wouldn't let me get a word. I was not asking her for help, I was not complaining. All of the topics were areas that she's supposedly happen in so it wasn't like I was telling someone who was recently divorced how I was ready to find a partner etc. What do I make of all of this? It says something about her perception of me because many other people in my life reacted positively and didn't feel like they needed to tell me what to do.
Posted Apr 28, 2026, 7:09 PM UTC