Love and loss can be messy, and losing oneself in grief and life in general can make the world a dark place to live. Unless the world has other plans…
Losing a spouse of many years is a painful thing, and the impetus for writing One Year. The lead character, Sydnie Neusomme, finds herself in that very situation. Thirty-eight years have gone by in the twinkling of an eye, and she is alone. She has little in the way of family support nearby, and she has to rely on herself to carry on.
Sydnie has a strong will, and even with some breakdowns early on in her widowhood, she knows at the gut level that she has to survive. Wallowing in grief will not see her through the remaining years of her life. However, functioning by rote is not a sustainable way to cope with grief either. And the world does often have other plans for us, and Sydnie comes to find out what those other plans are for her, and the grieving process is not linear, and recovery is not fast, and often includes others in order to heal.
And the world’s first plan to help Sydnie heal is to send her on an unexpected job assignment 10 hours away from her home in Missouri. Sydnie takes the job as a favor to the university’s Dean of Students, where she teaches. It is only supposed to be a “one-year” gig in Iowa. But you probably already know, it lasts longer.
Along with dealing with her grief, this new assignment is a hot mess. A mess in the sense of a literal mess, and messy leadership. Sydnie finds herself challenged, frustrated, and angry on top of her grief, and even though she had little contact with her late husband’s family, in Iowa, she is even more alone. But to Sydnie’s surprise, the world has plans.
What was supposed to be the best cheeseburger you will ever eat turns out to be an introduction. Sydnie works with a young lady named Cassidy, and Cassidy has a father named Mahlon. Cassidy has plans.
Sydnie respects Cassidy’s attempt at a “meet cute,” but clearly defines that she is not interested in meeting, dating, being involved with, or loving another man. Mahlon feels exactly the same way after trying with three separate women, only to have his heart broken beyond repair. However, that doesn’t really fit into Cassidy’s plans.
Despite Mahlon and Sydnie’s resistance, they do strike up a friendship and eventually go on a date. But leaving hurts from the past behind and trying again is hard work. The pair find themselves having to navigate new waters, past traumas so severe that they caused a disability, and allowing another person into their world finds them highly vulnerable.
Sydnie has 38 years of experience with another person, but Mahlon has been alone, by choice, for 15 years. Navigating Mahlon’s waters is harder on him than on Sydnie, as he has only dealt with abuse and use. But the pair finds a rhythm that works. And the world’s plans start to unfold.
The world unfolds for Mahlon and Sydnie through several methods, many of which involve family and spiritual rebirth. Sydnie has two sons, both of whom eventually move in with Mahlon and Sydnie. Mahlon has one daughter who brings in a long-lost boyfriend and his child. Loneliness and privacy abate for Mahlon and Sydnie, presenting them with a new challenge, but both welcome it and the blended extended families.
Mahlon never considered himself religious, but he was an active and highly respected member of his church. Sydnie never cared for church but finds herself attending with Mahlon. She also comes to know and love many members of this church, begins to experience a spiritual awakening for the first time, and that brings greater peace to both Mahlon and Sydnie. However, as it often does, the past creeps into their lives, forcing them to revisit Mahlon’s painful childhood.
But revisiting that painful childhood brings a new element for Mahlon and Sydnie, along with a new family member. The new family member reveals a secret to Mahlon, something he thinks is quite far-fetched; however, he finds it to be very real, which brings another challenge for Mahlon and Sydnie.
Amidst the tumultuous first year of their relationship, Mahlon and Sydnie find each other and learn to love again. Mahlon for the first time, and Sydnie for the last time. Their love sparks deeper family bonds, better respect for themselves and others, and a little miracle they never thought or planned for.
One Year is enough to change a life, even without planning. Learning to accept the world’s plans can be messy, painful…and wonderful. This is the crux of the novel, One Year. It can change everything.
