People come into our lives rather suddenly. Unfortunately, they often leave in the same manner.
We'd all like to sweep those failed relationships under the blanket excuse of "change" in one or both people, but let's be real for a minute. Change is inevitable in EVERYONE. No one is exempt from growing up, being affected by people and experiences and just plain life in general.
This shouldn't come as any big surprise to anyone. What should come as a big surprise, or at least comes as a big surprise to me, is how drastic that change can be. People you knew, people you loved can become people you are ashamed to even be associated with. Friends can become enemies, enemies can become friends. Years of trust can be reduced to a pile of hollow regrets in mere seconds. None of this should happen, but it does.
I believe we all have a definitive identity, a part of us that never changes. But all the stuff around it, the person worn by the identity, that changes.
We alter the person on the outside to fit situations and molds established by society. We masquerade as people who we aren't, who we never will be. Jealousy, pride, a desire to fit in – regardless of the reasoning, we're all guilty of it in some way or another. But it's not life-altering unless you let it be.
People learn. People grow. People make choices. And ultimately, every choice falls into one of two categories: denial or acceptance. Every choice we make, we either deny who we are or we accept it.
It's a complicated way to say "be yourself," but complicated is how I roll.
