contrary to other interps, like the song being about reminiscing a previous or past relationship that was discontinued or never happened, I see it more as a girl reminiscing previous phases of a relationship she's still in. "I loved a boy I never knew" to me is referencing when the girl starting to grow comfortable around the boy, even though they never knew each other before and were just at the start of what would turn into their relationship. "I saw it glitter as I grew" is her realizing she's becoming more attached to the boy as she goes through some stage of personal growth. and, as a monument is, I believe her whole relationship is a permanent sort of "landmark" in her head that she can look back on.
some other parts of lines/stanzas like "implore me to stay, away out of this place" and "I somehow see what's beautiful in things that are ephemeral" are related to some other conflict she's trying to manage while continuously falling in love with her partner. I imagine this conflict being some sort of psychological pull from something in her life she doesn't have the power to handle, and it tries to take her away from reality, but mundane things such a as the "cars and freeways" snap her back or anchor her back into reality and not losing her mind. she is aware of how temporary life and everything in it is. "I'm my only friend of mine" relates to having an inner monologue or having high self awareness
contrary to other interps, like the song being about reminiscing a previous or past relationship that was discontinued or never happened, I see it more as a girl reminiscing previous phases of a relationship she's still in. "I loved a boy I never knew" to me is referencing when the girl starting to grow comfortable around the boy, even though they never knew each other before and were just at the start of what would turn into their relationship. "I saw it glitter as I grew" is her realizing she's becoming more attached to the boy as she goes through some stage of personal growth. and, as a monument is, I believe her whole relationship is a permanent sort of "landmark" in her head that she can look back on. some other parts of lines/stanzas like "implore me to stay, away out of this place" and "I somehow see what's beautiful in things that are ephemeral" are related to some other conflict she's trying to manage while continuously falling in love with her partner. I imagine this conflict being some sort of psychological pull from something in her life she doesn't have the power to handle, and it tries to take her away from reality, but mundane things such a as the "cars and freeways" snap her back or anchor her back into reality and not losing her mind. she is aware of how temporary life and everything in it is. "I'm my only friend of mine" relates to having an inner monologue or having high self awareness