My days are, at times, excruciatingly long. I never find myself at day’s end wondering where it went. I am acutely aware of every passing moment. Some are more enjoyable than others, of course. But still, time passes slowly.
Yet, years fly by for me. In fact, I have no idea where the last few went.
My theory on this occurrence, which I believe is a contradiction, is called The Umbrella Theory. It separates simply and neatly into two parts.
A. Looking backward at the year, what one sees are the peaks of umbrellas established along the way. Each umbrella marks a period (as little as a second or as long as a fortnight) of great light or great rain where I have had to set up a milestone umbrella; either to protect myself from wet, icy pelting or joyful blindness. When looking back to review my year, I don’t tiptoe day to day through each month. My mind jumps to the last umbrella. The last incident or event that I feel defined the year. I jump and hop like stones across a creek, perhaps spending time to capture the fleeting motion that existed there at that spot.
B. Forward motion through time I think of as either searching for the next great point of light or rain, or time spent hoisting up the umbrella. Both require patience and effort. Not every moment is branded into the brand.
Therein lies the difference in my backward years and forward minutes.
With the Umbrella Theory introduced I’d like to take some time, first, to look back at umbrellas flagged for friendship upheaval. This was a year of great traumas and greater accomplishments. But nothing so dramatic occurred as my changing friendscape. I underwent a major change with the four closest friends I had starting at the beginning of 2008. (All umbrellas hoisted at those times were to prevent the rain.)
There is redemption to come, however, as old faces and new faces stepped in position to catch me from my fall.
But bad news first.
I’ve broken the first four into two parts:
The 15th will address New York City’s loss of Maggie, my best friend (April 15th) and my loss of Jeffrey, a first love (July 15th).
Families will address my loss of Owen, a little brother and Mia’s (my oldest friend and kindred being) divergence from a life path I thought was stone laden.
As all four elements are emotionally draining, I’ll take my time in getting them posted, but each will shed insight on not only me, but interactions between close friends.
And from then on, I promise birth, light, social anecdotes and humorously disastorous Dodger antics from the past year.
