Why Growing Up Feels Like Growing Apart

Throughout the course of a lifetime, people grow, develop maturity, and connect with many types of people. However, in the process of growing up, cycles end, leaving behind memories and people. Unfortunately, this makes the process even harder and often leaves us feeling guilty and lost, since letting go also means saying goodbye to special people.

Some argue this is part of the process of growing toward a better life, and in my opinion, they couldn't be more right. Growing up itself can already be hard, confusing, stressing, tiring, and sad, not because everything seems to change, but because it actually does. Growing up means ending the connections we hoped and were sure would last forever, introducing a need to develop independence and courage to start making decisions on our own. Most importantly, we need to be mature enough to leave things that don't align with our current and maybe new lifestyle, including friendships and relationships we rely on for our lives and happiness. Therefore, we realize who we can count on and who will be the new characters of our stories. 

As we grow older, our priorities shift when school, work, family demands, and personal tasks start taking up more space, which obligates us to leave behind old habits that will consequently leave less time for constant presence. This does not mean there is less love or care, it is simply about new desires, as the people you once shared a routine with walk in opposite paths, with problems and dreams of their own. As a result, we miss how things used to be, and sometimes, refuse to accept how things are supposed to be. Regardless, we need to understand that modifications shouldn't erase bonds. Instead, it should transform and make sure they are real. When a connection is well built with mutual love, trust, and affection, time and place are just challenges on its way, which proves that the bond is worthy of your dedication.

Additionally, it is important to remember that distance doesn’t represent a fight or a choice, most of the time, the path of life makes it happen. Our perspectives on life and our goals that once were the same, and the conversations that never seemed to fade away, eventually come to an end. What once connected two people may no longer fit with who they are becoming, as everyone has a different journey and has unique traits and experiences. Furthermore, we can't blame the other person in the relationship in case they grow apart. They are choosing or naturally going, believing that this path is better for both sides. Sometimes, it's time for them to change, and perhaps it may also be our turn.

In conclusion, growing up feels like growing apart because that is what actually happens. We grow apart from people who no longer share the same principles, and sometimes, we realize that they never shared at all, and all we needed was maturity and self-development to accept it. However, some things don't have to grow apart as long as good communication and respect exist, because if something is meant to be, it will be, no matter when or how. That is how it works with powerful connections: they will remain  forever, and one day, if real and meant to be, they will cross paths again. On the other hand, both people should accept that when someone new enters your life, others may have to leave, and that's part of the process of living life wisely, because meeting new people allows us to learn from them and with them.