You do not owe permanent access to anyone because they knew an earlier version of you.
GRATITUDE
GRATITUDE
Having known you a long time is not a permanent claim on your time or your openness. People change, and the version of you they knew may have been someone with different limits, different needs, and less understanding of what was acceptable. Old ties deserve consideration and a hearing. They do not automatically deserve unrestricted access.
When someone appeals to your shared history, notice that you are being asked to grant access on the basis of the past. Decide based on how they treat you now. You can honour the history and still keep the door where you want it.
Who claims closeness based on a version of you long gone?
Free, with nothing to buy inside it.