As The Seasons Change; So Do We

We're constantly changing throughout life, it's part of growing up.  But one of the hardest things is watching someone you love and care about change.  Now there's two kinds of changing I think, and although they're different, sometimes they can equally be as hard.  There's the change for the better, and the change for the worse.  And I think it's important to distinguish the two.
As hard as it may be to watch someone change, if it's for the best, even if that means we may not be as big of a part of their life as we once were, it's important to be happy for them.  If their changes are going to better them as a person, open more doors for them, and give them a brighter future, as hard as it might be to feel 'left behind', we've got to cheer them on.
Now to the dreaded change for the worse, which may be just as hard, the difference being that it's almost impossible to be happy for that person.  When those life-changes begin to close doors, and threaten a persons safety, it can not only be saddening but one of the more terrifying things.  And what can we do?  Nothing really.  It's sad when a best friend becomes a stranger; but what's even sadder is when that stranger becomes someone we don't even care to want to know anymore.
There's a fine line between growing up, and changing as a person; sometimes that change is needed, and others it's as if someone has just 'fallen off the wagon'.  The hardest part is that we have no control of a persons choices and how they change/grow up.  Whether it be that they're falling, turning cold, and getting lost in the darkness, or blooming and begin to shine brightly; all we can do is love them...love them unconditionally.