As I look back over the sum of my years (which, granted, are not yet many), I cannot help but notice the degree to which different people have adjusted the course of my life. Were I to draw out the chronological timeline of my short existence, I imagine it would resemble a child's etch-a-sketch portrait. Lines and dots crisscrossing, and overlapping, and darting back and forth. Each person changing the lines direction. Every event, every high or low point, every sparked or extinguished relationship a change in course. A wonderful, beautiful, excruciatingly meticulous hodge-podge of intricate shapes and patterns. I sometimes envision that, from a distance, my timeline might resemble some sort of monstrous thrill ride with towering climbs and gut-wrenching drops. With innumerable twists and turns rivaling the most prodigious of mystery novels. With ground shaking speeds, sharp corners, and sudden stops. Such has been the course of my life.
