One of the few constants of humans is change; the other is time.

Physiologically, we change from a fetus to an infant from an infant to a child from a child to an adolescent, and, finally, from an adolescent to an adult.

Our bodies are bound to these different stages, and, no matter how much we try to speed up or slow down the process, time will always catch us and bring along with it the inevitable changes that come with each stage.

Psychologically, we also mature. As many know, the brain develops as we age – again, using the same timetable, essentially. Over time, we mature in areas such as voluntary movement, perception, reasoning, emotion, planning, working memory, and decision-making. Unlike physiological time, psychological change may take a break, slow down, or speed up, but still halts for no one. Just as physiological deterioration happens as we age, so too does psychological change as, after its long cycle of maturation, the mind inevitably begins the process of deterioration.

Several people whom I hold in high esteem once told me that I would be forced to break some friendship ties for one reason or another in my life. Of course, I took these words for granted because, when things are going along smoothly and going great, it’s hard to anticipate disaster, even if it is as inevitable as the ticking of a clock. Today, I can admit the painful truth that all of those wise people who tried to warn me were absolutely right.

In my last year of middle school, I had what seemed at the time to be the best group of friends one could ask for in life. Naïve as we all were, we thought that over the next four years, at three different high schools, that we’d remain the same close group despite the physical distance and various environments that would come between us. We could not do this.

This was a telling moment for me. Of course, we do keep some friends, and some of our friends do not change drastically. In fact, sometimes the one who experiences the most change might even be you. If that’s the case, make sure to reflect. With an open mind, look back to whom you were and then examine whom you have become, what you may become, and where you are going. Frankly, those are the most important changes we, as individuals, should be aware of in our lives. Set your goals, but make sure you’re also enjoying the journey of achieving them.

People change–some for the better, some for the worse. Just as you don’t know what tomorrow may bring, you cannot know how someone, including yourself, may change. All we know is that it is sure to happen, so try to be open-minded and enjoy the ride.