It happens to everyone as they grow up. You find out who you are and what you want, and then you realize that people you've known forever don't see things the way you do. So you keep the wonderful memories, but find yourself moving on.

The quote reflects a common coming-of-age realization: maturity brings clearer self-knowledge, but also divergence from the perspectives of long-standing friends or familiar communities. It frames growing up as a process of sorting continuity from change—preserving affection and gratitude for shared history while accepting that identity and desire can pull people onto different paths. The tone is bittersweet rather than resentful: it validates nostalgia (“wonderful memories”) yet treats separation as a natural consequence of development. Implicitly, it suggests that loyalty to one’s evolving self may require leaving behind relationships that no longer fit, without negating their past value.