I think we can all agree that growing up is just plain hard. Hating the things you once loved, finding new interests that you never thought you would enjoy, and letting go of people that you thought would be right by your side till the end. Letting go of a friendship or even a relationship can be one of the hardest things you will endure as you jump from each stage of your life.

Recently in my life I had to let go of a friendship that I wouldn't have ever dreamed of giving up. We were a dynamic duo, the best of friends, practically sisters. Although we were so close, this past summer we drifted apart. Neither of us did anything wrong I just realized that relinquishing a relationship is just a part of life when that person no longer serves the purpose in your life that they used to.

I have no hard feelings toward her nor will I ever. When people ask what happened between us they always assume that some awful backstabbing thing had to happen. That's the saddest part about the whole thing. I would never want to tarnish our friendship or her in any way and that's what I don't understand about our society today.

Why do we as a society associate growing apart and letting go a bad thing? When honestly, growing up is just a part of life and sometimes that involves letting go of friendships and relationships that you once thought would be in your life until the end.

Here's a quote from Nicholas Sparks that rings true: "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."

I also asked some people around me about this topic and these were some of their thoughts:

"I feel like going to college forces letting go to happen."

"When you can sense it going down It's better to let go of something toxic than to try to keep it alive."

"Our lives just went in different directions and we met different people. We just grew apart and that's okay.'

"If you never branch out, there's no room to grow. If you are surrounded by the same people throughout your life you'll never be able to learn and find yourself."

Whether it's a new friend group, new town, new school, or just wanting to better yourself, letting go of a friendship is normal and okay. It doesn't have to be a bad situation or full of hatred. It's just an act of maturity and growing up that we all will go through at some point in our lives. I think one of the most important things to keep in mine is that you shouldn't always stick with what you know, whether its a relationship or friendship. This life is about evolving, learning, and living life to the fullest. Surround yourself with people that will continue to help you do those three things.