Know that the present is not the past. Your friend may have changed substantially. Don’t expect them to be the person they were when you were closer.    Holding expectations about someone else affects the way you feel about them, which is unfair to them and may lead to unwarranted expectations about the potential to rekindle your friendship. Meet for coffee or lunch instead of going out at night together.  This will allow each of you to interact more casually, with less assumptions or expectations about the meeting. If you have something to apologize for, do so as soon as you are able.  Be completely honest.  Know that your friend may still be experiencing some negative emotions about whatever happened between you, and that negative emotions may even arise for you upon meeting up with your friend again.  If you were at fault for something that led to a conflict, even only partially, accept that fault. Tell your friend that you’re willing to put the past behind you, and that you’re willing to speak about whatever happened if they’d like to do so.  Try something like, "Hey, George, I'm really sorry about that argument we had. Want to catch a beverage together someday soon and catch up?" Try, "Sally, you know, I've felt really bad about the way I acted a while back. I'm so sorry. I’d like to get together again sometime, if you’re interested." You should always be respectful when interacting with other people, and all the more when interacting with friends. One of the surest ways to indicate that you respect someone is by listening intently during conversation. In order to understand what a friend is feeling or thinking, try to consider your friendship from their perspective. Practice active listening.  Especially during meaningful conversations, make sure to follow these tips to help you listen intently: Summarize what it seems like the other person is saying when you are unsure. Encourage your friend to continue with short prompts such as “Then?” or “Oh!?” Use “I” statements when responding.  Reflect about what the other person is saying out loud, by beginning with, “I feel like…” If something is unclear, ask them to expand upon a point you don’t understand. Whatever the context of your friendship now, you undoubtedly have positive memories from experiences you shared together in the past.  Recall some of the enjoyable moments you spent together, particularly those that might get you laughing together again.  By recalling positive memories of your own, your friend will likely recall similar memories of their own, and you will both end up remembering more about your friendship than either of you had remembered independently. This alone will rekindle positive feelings towards one another, if not a resurgence of interest in spending time together again.
اجعل لقاءكما الأول قصيراً. اعتذر. استمع واحترم. استرجع الذكريات العزيزة.