--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Throughout their childhood Maya loved her…" description: "\"“Throughout their childhood Maya loved her best friend because she wasn’t like any other girl she had met, but life as a teenager seems to have acted l..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/759/fredrik-backman-857_best-friend_throughout-their-childhood-maya-loved-he_100550.jpg" --- # Throughout their childhood Maya loved her best friend… ![“Throughout their childhood Maya loved her best friend because she wasn’t like any other girl she had met, but life as a teenager seems to have acted like sandpaper on Ana. She’s getting smoother and smoother, smaller and smaller. * * * Sometimes Maya misses her. *” quote by Fredrik Backman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/759/fredrik-backman-857_best-friend_throughout-their-childhood-maya-loved-he_100550.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/759/fredrik-backman-857_best-friend_throughout-their-childhood-maya-loved-he_100550.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/759/fredrik-backman-857_best-friend_throughout-their-childhood-maya-loved-he_100550.jpg) > ““Throughout their childhood Maya loved her best friend because she wasn’t like any other girl she had met, but life as a teenager seems to have acted like sandpaper on Ana. She’s getting smoother and smoother, smaller and smaller. \* \* \* Sometimes Maya misses her. \*”” [Fredrik Backman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fredrik-backman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The passage reflects on how adolescence reshapes a once‑unique friendship, smoothing out quirks and creating distance, yet nostalgia persists. **In simple terms:** Teenage changes erode a once‑special bond. Key Takeaway Growth can dilute original individuality. Themes friendship adolescence identity nostalgia Mood melancholic nostalgic Type literary reflective When to use this quote - reconnecting with old friends - navigating high‑school dynamics - reflecting on personal growth Key Concepts social development personal change Practical Applications - write a letter to a past self - organize a reunion Questions to Reflect On - What aspects of friendship survive despite change? - How can we honor past selves while evolving? A Different Perspective Nostalgia may romanticize the past, overlooking inevitable change. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Best friend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-friend/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) ## Related quotes > [“She was fifteen and had access to the Internet; she already knew that the world is a cruel place if you’re a girl. Her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fredrik-backman/she-was-fifteen-and-had-access-to-the-internet-she-already-knew-that/) [Fredrik Backman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fredrik-backman/) > [“Maya goes into the bathroom and looks at herself in the mirror. Astonished at how strong she has learned to pretend to be. At…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fredrik-backman/maya-goes-into-the-bathroom-and-looks-at-herself-in-the-mirror/) [Fredrik Backman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fredrik-backman/) > [“According to Zen Buddhists, all things have their existence in The Void. The Void is that which is no-thing, but contains all things within…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-p-kauffman/according-to-zen-buddhists-all-things-have-their-existence-in-the/) [Joseph P. Kauffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-p-kauffman/) > [“You are not limited to this body, to this mind, or to this reality—you are a limitless ocean of Consciousness, imbued with infinite potential.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-p-kauffman/you-are-not-limited-to-this-body-to-this-mind-or-to-this-reality-you/) [Joseph P. Kauffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-p-kauffman/) > [“Examples of fractals are everywhere in nature. They can be found in the patterns of trees, branches, and ferns, in which each part appears…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-p-kauffman/examples-of-fractals-are-everywhere-in-nature-they-can-be-found-in/) [Joseph P. Kauffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-p-kauffman/) > [“True Love is when you are able to see yourself in another, when you recognize that there is no separation between you and any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-p-kauffman/true-love-is-when-you-are-able-to-see-yourself-in-another-when-you/) [Joseph P. Kauffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-p-kauffman/) > [“The world exists because your mind exists. If your mind didn’t exist, there would be no world. As you look at these words, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-p-kauffman/the-world-exists-because-your-mind-exists-if-your-mind-didn-t-exist/) [Joseph P. Kauffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-p-kauffman/) > [“Have you ever had a dream that you were certain was real, only to wake up and realize that everyone and everything in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-p-kauffman/have-you-ever-had-a-dream-that-you-were-certain-was-real-only-to-wake/) [Joseph P. Kauffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-p-kauffman/) > [“Ancient wisdom did not disappear. We simply stopped knowing how to listen.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriela-jurosz-landa/ancient-wisdom-did-not-disappear-we-simply-stopped-knowing-how-to/) Gabriela Jurosz-Landa > [“We cannot see how our lives will unfold. What is destiny and What is accident? And how can one ever be certain?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-ostlere/we-cannot-see-how-our-lives-will-unfold-what-is-destiny-and-what-is/) [Cathy Ostlere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy-ostlere/) > [Whom anger chains, can ever pass thro' Maya's gates.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/whom-anger-chains-can-ever-pass-thro-maya-s-gates/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [“The Maya’s economy was based on extensive occupational specialization, with skilled potters, weavers, woodworkers, and tool and ornament makers. They also traded obsidian, jaguar…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daron-acemo-lu/the-maya-s-economy-was-based-on-extensive-occupational-specialization/) [Daron Acemoğlu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daron-acemo-lu/) > [“Moksha – the liberation form, the web of maya be, Freedom from the cycles of birth and death clearly; - 33 -”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/munindra-misra/moksha-the-liberation-form-the-web-of-maya-be-freedom-from-the-cycles/) [Munindra Misra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/munindra-misra/) > [“Buddhist philosophy points out that the true nature of all forms is essentially formless. Forms do not have an existence of their own, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-p-kauffman/buddhist-philosophy-points-out-that-the-true-nature-of-all-forms-is/) [Joseph P. Kauffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-p-kauffman/) > [“Everything we perceive to be solid and static is made up of almost entirely empty space.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-p-kauffman/everything-we-perceive-to-be-solid-and-static-is-made-up-of-almost/) [Joseph P. Kauffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-p-kauffman/) ## More by Fredrik Backman > [“So she bowed her head and devoted herself to Beartown’s real traditional sports: shame and silence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fredrik-backman/so-she-bowed-her-head-and-devoted-herself-to-beartown-s-real/) [Fredrik Backman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fredrik-backman/) > [“If Peter has learned one thing about human nature during all his years in hockey, it’s that almost everyone regards themselves as a good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fredrik-backman/if-peter-has-learned-one-thing-about-human-nature-during-all-his/) [Fredrik Backman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fredrik-backman/) > [“That’s what parents often do, I think, we persuade ourselves we’re doing everything for the sake of the child. It’s too painful to us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fredrik-backman/that-s-what-parents-often-do-i-think-we-persuade-ourselves-we-re/) [Fredrik Backman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fredrik-backman/) > [“Uve je dobro znao da njeni prijatelji nisu shvatali zbog čega se onda svakog jutra budila sa odlukom da provede dan sa njim. Nije…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fredrik-backman/uve-je-dobro-znao-da-njeni-prijatelji-nisu-shvatali-zbog-ega-se-onda/) [Fredrik Backman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fredrik-backman/) > [“Somebody has one of the worst hairstyles Britt-Marie has ever laid eyes on, as if she’s combed her hair with a terrified animal.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fredrik-backman/somebody-has-one-of-the-worst-hairstyles-britt-marie-has-ever-laid/) [Fredrik Backman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fredrik-backman/) > [“Hate can be a deeply stimulating emotion. The world becomes easier to understand and much less terrifying if you divide everything and everyone into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fredrik-backman/hate-can-be-a-deeply-stimulating-emotion-the-world-becomes-easier-to/) [Fredrik Backman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fredrik-backman/) > [“Another morning comes. It always does. Time always moves at the same rate, only feelings have different speeds. Every day can mark a whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fredrik-backman/another-morning-comes-it-always-does-time-always-moves-at-the-same/) [Fredrik Backman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fredrik-backman/) > [“The girl glances at the surface of the desk, which looks as if toddlers have been trying to eat potatoes off it. With pitchforks.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fredrik-backman/the-girl-glances-at-the-surface-of-the-desk-which-looks-as-if/) [Fredrik Backman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fredrik-backman/) > [“Mnogim ljudima je teško da žive sa nekim ko ceni samoću. To neprijatno žulja one koji nisu i sami takvi.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fredrik-backman/mnogim-ljudima-je-te-ko-da-ive-sa-nekim-ko-ceni-samo-u-to-neprijatno/) [Fredrik Backman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fredrik-backman/) > [“But his taste buds are as dysfunctional as the volume control on his voice.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fredrik-backman/but-his-taste-buds-are-as-dysfunctional-as-the-volume-control-on-his/) [Fredrik Backman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fredrik-backman/) > [“For more than half a century they belonged to one another. She detested the same characteristics in him that last day as she had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fredrik-backman/for-more-than-half-a-century-they-belonged-to-one-another-she/) [Fredrik Backman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fredrik-backman/) > [“His heart is too big.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fredrik-backman/his-heart-is-too-big/) [Fredrik Backman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fredrik-backman/) > [“Back in the days when there were still things to boast about, the city council erected a sign beside the road at the entrance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fredrik-backman/back-in-the-days-when-there-were-still-things-to-boast-about-the-city/) [Fredrik Backman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fredrik-backman/) > [“And after all those hours in the locker room, all those nights on the team bus, all the conversations and all the jokes and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fredrik-backman/and-after-all-those-hours-in-the-locker-room-all-those-nights-on-the/) [Fredrik Backman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fredrik-backman/) > [“All his life Bobo has wanted just one thing to be allowed to belong to something.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fredrik-backman/all-his-life-bobo-has-wanted-just-one-thing-to-be-allowed-to-belong/) [Fredrik Backman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fredrik-backman/) [Explore all 320 Fredrik Backman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fredrik-backman/) ## More Best friend quotes > [“But my best friend from college was silent for a long time. She, of all of my friends, had seen the parade of sad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-groff/but-my-best-friend-from-college-was-silent-for-a-long-time-she-of-all/) [Lauren Groff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-groff/) > [No one is completely unhappy at the failure of his best friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/no-one-is-completely-unhappy-at-the-failure-of-his-best-friend/) [Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) > [“Before you were my enemy, you were my best friend.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kresley-cole/before-you-were-my-enemy-you-were-my-best-friend/) [Kresley Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kresley-cole/) > [I fell in love with my best friend, but I know that if it doesn't last, it will never be the same.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelly-yang/i-fell-in-love-with-my-best-friend-but-i-know-that-if-it-doesn-t-last/) Shelly Yang > [A best friend isn't someone who's just always there for you.Its someone who understands you a bit more than you understand yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/a-best-friend-isn-t-someone-who-s-just-always-there-for-you-its/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [Back home I get to see my old friends!(: But they don't understand the change in me and I can't explain it to them...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jade/back-home-i-get-to-see-my-old-friends-but-they-don-t-understand-the/) [Jade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jade/) > [This goes out to someone that was Once the most important person in my life I didn't realize it at the time I can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aviation/this-goes-out-to-someone-that-was-once-the-most-important-person-in/) Aviation > [You’re crazy,” said her best friend, Angela, as the bell rang to signal five minutes before the first class on the first day back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-rees-brennan/you-re-crazy-said-her-best-friend-angela-as-the-bell-rang-to-signal/) [Sarah Rees Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-rees-brennan/) > [Sometimes the right people can make your day. They're called best friends :)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/sometimes-the-right-people-can-make-your-day-they-re-called-best/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [Here is your third gift from Me once again..I had a fourth gift it was about me making a video telling you how much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lilbear/here-is-your-third-gift-from-me-once-again-i-had-a-fourth-gift-it-was/) [LilBear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lilbear/) > [Our friendship is like a cup of tea¦a special blend of you and me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orebela-gbenga/our-friendship-is-like-a-cup-of-tea-a-special-blend-of-you-and-me/) [Orebela Gbenga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orebela-gbenga/) > [When you have the most beautiful best friend in the world what more could I ask for I love you Tay :) you mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick/when-you-have-the-most-beautiful-best-friend-in-the-world-what-more/) [Nick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick/) > [I believe in God, because he is the only thing that kept me going. He's my best friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-hahn/i-believe-in-god-because-he-is-the-only-thing-that-kept-me-going-he-s/) [Jessica Hahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-hahn/) > [ONE stone enough to break a glass,,, ONE sentence is enough to break a heart,,, FIRST sight is enough to fall in love,,, ONE…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/one-stone-enough-to-break-a-glass-one-sentence-is-enough-to-break-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A Real Man will help build his woman's self esteem not break it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-s-voice/a-real-man-will-help-build-his-woman-s-self-esteem-not-break-it/) Lisa's Voice [Browse all 6,524 Best friend quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-friend/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Throughout their childhood Maya loved her best friend because she wasn’t like any other girl she had met, but life as a teenager seems to have acted like sandpaper on Ana. She’s getting smoother and smoother, smaller and smaller. * * * Sometimes Maya misses her. *”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Fredrik Backman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fredrik-backman/throughout-their-childhood-maya-loved-her-best-friend-because-she/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Best friend" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fredrik-backman/throughout-their-childhood-maya-loved-her-best-friend-because-she/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/759/fredrik-backman-857_best-friend_throughout-their-childhood-maya-loved-he_100550.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/759/fredrik-backman-857_best-friend_throughout-their-childhood-maya-loved-he_100550.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/759/fredrik-backman-857_best-friend_throughout-their-childhood-maya-loved-he_100550.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Throughout their childhood Maya loved her best friend because she wasn’t like any other girl she had met…” — Fredrik Backman", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Fredrik Backman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fredrik-backman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Throughout their childhood Maya loved her...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fredrik-backman/throughout-their-childhood-maya-loved-her-best-friend-because-she/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fredrik-backman/throughout-their-childhood-maya-loved-her-best-friend-because-she/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```