I think there was an extra bit of pain because 2022 felt like the true finality of youth. It was the last summer a good portion of my girlfriends were still single. We were all remote because of Covid. Earning levels were high and free time was plentiful. Each weekend we would play with our friends in the snow and drink beers until we couldn’t keep our eyes open. Losing him felt like losing the last remaining bit I had been holding onto of that last year of girlhood.

The true close of a season that felt so crisp and filled with endless possibilities and limited responsibilities.

How could you not love someone who helped you feel like a kid again? How could you not be heartbroken for it to end?

In the end, I will say the same thing about Greg that I said about Lincoln.

Past the deep layers of rose tinted hues.
It’s right there.
There was nothing particularly special about him, but the way I loved him was.
The year I loved him was.
That’s what you remember.
How you felt with them.