I think it's just a common aspect of growing up really. There are many people I was friends with during education that, after seeing them still get absolutely wankered at every opportunity and are unashamedly racist, I just don't wish to share friendship with them. It's all about what directions we choose to take and everyone is "doing their thing" so time gets lost. On the flip of that, I have two true best friends, from totally different backgrounds. One a friend from 6 years old and we're still great mates. Even if we don't see each other for ages, we basically pick up a conversation where we left off. It may also have a lot to do with us being of the very few in our 30s that aren't married and have no children (yet, or that I know of
). Interesingly though, many of the "kids" of my generation have all either remarried and have kids they don't get to see/walked away. That's not a social thing either, I've noticed it across societal "classes" with different friends. Those that were up their own arse and proclaimed they'll never enter a loveless marriage or be a single parent (because you know, they're way too posh for that), are indeed that today.
Of course there is nothing wrong with that, if that is the life you choose; if you're comfortable and happy with it then no one else can judge your own relative level of happiness. So long as it's true.
Humans are a strange race but also interesting one at that.
As Reg said though, it's great to meet new people too. The best thing is, even the most boring person has got a story to tell. All we need to do is listen more.
Very much so, the majority of my best friends are still those I grew up with in Oxfordshire (although none of them live there any more), and we often go years between catch up and not a great deal changes.
But there are also mates that you realise as you get older were actually rather twattish even when you knew them, there is one lad that I was really good mates with at Uni who was from Norfolk and stereo typically Norfolk at that (somewhat xenophobic and parochial), we kept in touch but he has moved to the south coast now, seems to have made friends with loads of people in their 50's-60's and gone proper Farage since Brexit??
Bizarrely an ex from 20 years ago contacted me via LinkedIn the other week, I have reached the age where it has apparently overtaken Facebook!