The Last Meeting Theory: Why Some People Disappear From Our Lives For Good

There’s a phenomenon you may be more familiar with than you realise called “The Last Meeting Theory.” Have you ever had a falling out with someone just to never see them again?

Maybe it was a friendship breakup, an argument that got out of hand, or a gradual drifting apart that you didn’t even realise was happening until it was done. One day, you were close. And then…you weren’t. No closure. No goodbye. Nothing. Just silence.

What makes it even more surreal is when that person lives nearby. Maybe they’re still in your city, your town, or even your neighbourhood— yet you never cross paths. You don’t bump into them at the grocery store or see them at mutual friends’ events. It’s like they vanished, as if the universe ensured your paths wouldn’t intertwine again.

It’s bizarre, right?

But it turns out there’s a name for this feeling. It’s called “The Last Meeting Theory.”

The theory goes like this: “Once you and someone you were connected to have completed the lessons you needed from each other, the universe ensures that you will never meet again.”

Let that sink in.

According to this theory, every relationship, no matter how brief or intense, is part of a bigger plan. People come into your life for a reason: to teach you something, to help you grow, to guide you through a certain phase of your journey. When they have fulfilled that purpose, and the connection has served its role, the universe steps in. It subtly rearranges the energy between you, creating a quiet but powerful separation.

Even if you still live in the same city, even if you share the same circle of friends, you might never see that person again. And that’s because you weren’t meant to.

At first, this can feel incredibly sad, especially if the separation happened without any closure. There’s always a part of you that wonders, “What happened? Why didn’t we talk it out? Will we ever run into each other again?”

But then, you come to a realisation: Maybe that final moment, no matter how insignificant it seemed, was the closure. Maybe it was never about a grand goodbye or dramatic conversation. Maybe it was about understanding that your chapter with that person had simply ended. Not every ending has to come with fireworks.

I think that’s one of the hardest things to accept– someone who meant so much to you can become someone you never see again. But it’s also strangely comforting. It means that even the people who left unexpectedly had a purpose. That the lessons they brought into your life mattered. And it means that you mattered to them, too—even if it didn’t last forever.

There’s also something beautifully freeing about this theory.

It allows you to stop chasing closure from people who were never meant to stay. It helps you let go of the pressure to make every connection permanent. Not everyone is meant to go the distance with you. Some people are only meant to walk with you for a few miles.

Think about it. Have you ever gone through something hard—a loss, heartbreak, or other major life change—and there was someone who was there for you who disappeared from your life after that season ended? That’s the Last Meeting Theory in action. Their role was to guide you through that specific part of your journey. Once that moment passed, so did their presence.

It doesn’t make the connection any less real. In fact, maybe it makes it more sacred; it served exactly the purpose it was meant to.

If there’s someone you’ve fallen out with, or someone you simply lost touch with—someone been waiting, hoping for some kind of reunion or explanation—take this as a sign that maybe you’ve already received what you needed from that connection.

They helped shape a version of you. And now, it’s time to keep evolving. The universe has a way of clearing space when it’s time to grow. Sometimes, that means letting go of people we thought would be there forever.

But that’s okay. Not every person is meant to stay. Some are just meant to help you get where you’re going.
Once you’ve both arrived at the next chapter of your lives, the universe makes sure your paths don’t cross again—not out of cruelty, but out of love. The lesson is done. And it’s time to move on.