One seems such a small number.
One year began with a day. But what about what came before?
One day before the day that began the one year, two lives crossed with one meeting. A single meeting of two single people. That single meeting turned to one date just a few days later. Then another date. And another. As the number of dates increased, the singularity of the two single people became more ambiguous. They no longer considered themselves single.
—
This became even more evident to them after the one first kiss. There was the only first one, but there’s always a first second one, and a first third one, and so forth. A proper tally during this one year would add up to the first kiss for the ten-billionth time. The first kiss on the first anniversary morning of the wedding would be the first ten-billionth-and-first kiss.
—
It’s a little bit mind-bending, this whole issue of two single people who no longer consider themselves single. One year ago today, they vowed they would not only be not single but would always be together. One unit. A single entity. They promised to love each other, to bring each other out of a single status as two people to be married into one. A single status.
In this past year, they have already experienced so much. There is a certain intensity of depth that comes from cleaving unto each other. There are even terms that derive from such cleaving. Moments in books, movies, or real life that somehow relate to the marriage cause more poignant, even clevimental tears. Moments that are more lighthearted and cause the two people to share a secret wink or smirk or cause them to laugh at the same thing are full of clevity.
—
In this past year, this single couple have shared so many singular yet infinitely precious moments.
- They have traveled parts of the United States and hiked various parts of Utah.
- They have experimented cooking various meals and desserts.
- They have decorated their apartment and added to their book collection.
- They have met different family members.
- They have attended concerts and other various cultural events.
- They have gone to theme parks.
- They have attended book clubs and readings.
- They have played with babies and laughed at kids at church.
- They have danced together. Like, a lot.
- They have sung to each other.
- They have spent time with friends in many ways and played weird card games with family.
- They have watched a lot of television and many movies.
- They have told each other how cute they are.
- They have talked about their respective jobs with each other.
- They have gotten accepted to grad school. Yes, both of them.
- They have prayed together.
- They have talked about their future.
- They have expressed how much they love each other, which makes them even more excited to keep talking about their future.
They are happy that talking about their future is part of their future. The meta-commentary becomes part of the metaphysical that will eventually become part of their reality. A singular reality.
They stand one year ahead of when they were married for time and all eternity. Two souls, one year. One year will turn into two, then three, and so forth. Those years will come.
For now, together, they look back on this one year.
It seems so huge.
) piqued my interest in the book, but first I watched the 2012 Weinstein documentary you happened to mention, Bully. So many times people or media want to point a finger at something more concrete, more visible, such as bullying. But when I hear of suicide, I almost always think first of mental illness as a possible cause. I’m glad you explore this subject, and as I read Phoebe Prince’s case, I was disappointed that the right people didn’t consider her psychological issues. It’s always more complicated than people usually perceive.
