They're "spending Hanukkah in Santa Monica," so to speak

Apparently, I'm even more naive than I thought. It had certainly occurred to me that I might outlive some of my friends, or that they might outlive me. But it hadn't really registered with me until recently that some of my friends might disappear while both I and they were still alive. Some of my friends are in such poor health that they're no longer interested in socializing. Others have moved to be near their children, so that their kids could keep an eye on them due to their health challenges. Still others have become what some call "snowbirds," buying second homes in locations that are much warmer than where their first homes are located and "vanishing" southward for at least four months every year. (They're not exactly "spending Hanukkah in Santa Monica," but they're not spending it anywhere near where *we* live.) That's certainly the end of their annual Chanukah party. I'm having a really tough time accepting the likelihood that there are friends whom I've known for over 40 years whom I might literally never see again. 😢😢