Outgrow

I never thought I’d reach this point in life— that I would outgrow people I care for so deeply. The heavy feeling I carry each day as I try to speak with them, the thought that maybe—just maybe— I no longer want to stay. It hurts to admit it, especially when they were the ones who stood by me. But like the seasons, people change too. Time was never my friend. As much as I try to deny that I am outgrowing them, I know there’s no going back. I’m changing, and growth is nothing without change. Perhaps it’s okay to outgrow people— because just like the seasons, things shift. Our goals, the way we see life, they change. Outgrowing people doesn’t mean we stop caring for them; it means we grow differently, not at the same pace— and that’s okay. But it’s hard to accept that the very people who were with me through highs and lows will be the ones I leave behind.