This contrast between the narrator's initial perception and the reality of the sign reflects the narrator's own journey and the realization that things may not always turn out as expected. The deterioration of the sign symbolizes the narrator's own sense of loss and uncertainty as they navigate through their own past and future in Manifest. rephrase like a 8th grader

The sign changing from eye-catching to worn down is like how the narrator's view on life changes as they go through Manifest. It shows how things don't always go as planned and how the narrator feels lost and unsure about their past and future.