The essential thing was to stay involved.
1	The	the	DET	DEF	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	essential	essential	ADJ	POS	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	thing	thing	NOUN	SG-NOM	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	was	be	VERB	PAST	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	to	to	PART	_	_	6	mark	_	_
6	stay	stay	VERB	INF	VerbForm=Inf	4	advcl	_	_
7	involved	involve	VERB	PASS	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	6	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	Period	_	4	punct	_	_
