For years, most of twenty, my 'friends,' acquaintances really, have come from three pools: work, Second Life, and people they knew.
Now, I don't talk to their people. I still have buds from work, but they are not friends outside the office, aside from the occasional team dinner function. That leaves Second Life, the sum total of my social life.
My best friends in SL numbered two, one guy and one bestie girlfriend. Now, she is getting married in SL so their attention and focus is on their S.O. (Completely understandable. Love is Love, after all). Their S.O. doesn't care for me, so, to avoid anything that could ever be construed as conflict, I take the lonely road and slip away when the couple are doing their lovey-dovey thing.
My guy friend is great and I enjoy his company, but there are times that I really need my bestie and now, I don't have her. Despite me needing her support and not feeling that I have it, I would be there for her in a moment, should she call.
That realization reminds me of how we supported each other before: me with my RL tears and her with SL tears and that makes me miss her even more.
I tried talking this out with my remaining friend, but, I didn't want to put this burden on him.
Maybe I need to talk to a therapist.