summary ofThe Opposite of LonelinessBook by Marina Keegan

first KEY POINT

Life can be very uncertain; it is essential that we recognize this and not get taken by surprise

The story of Marina Keegan is one of great tragedy and loss, one where so much talent was cut short in the most unfortunate of ways. When Keegan graduated from Yale in 2012, she was already poised for greatness, boasting an impressive resume. Keegan had interned with Paris Review and the New Yorker. There was even a job waiting for her with the latter.

These are often the makings of a great story, but life has other plans, unfortunately. Regardless of what we have planned, fate can take both drastic and good turns. Unfortunately, there is no natural way to gauge just what the future holds; we can only make sure today prepares us for whatever comes.

Marina Keegan was involved in a ghastly car crash just four days after graduation. The unfortunate event brings to a halt what many believe would have been a very illustrious career in writing. But try as we may, life happens regardless of what we have planned for it. Life's uncertainty can be cruel and sudden, especially when we are not prepared for it.There is only so little we can do when fate does as it pleases. For Keegan, she did what she could to ensure today would make for a better tomorrow. Although she had no way of knowing, many of her works eerily foreshadowed her unfortunate fate, and some showed the gravity of words we say without any real consideration.

Keegan lived just like she wrote, with awareness and appreciation for the many complexities that come with life. She had planned so much but spent her time worrying about the future, often about her colleagues' fates.