Deb Brandon: Living in Radiant Color

Journeys and Destinations

On the phone to my friend, Cindy, voice quivering, occasionally leaking tears, at one point sobbing, I hoped for some answers. What was going on? Why was I so upset? When I noticed that over the last couple of weeks I occasionally became weepy for no apparent reason, I thought that hormones, or exhaustion induced … Read more

Balance

I admire these women, these accomplished artists who struggled against the shackles society placed on them. In order to achieve success, many felt the need to work within those restrictions, ignoring a yen to be treated as their male counterparts during the period of impressionism. Some struggled against those bonds, defying societal norms, forging a … Read more

Cookies

When Joan gave me a plate of yummy looking cookies, my immediate thought was “that’s the way the cookie bounces.” I wondered whether that expression meant the same thing as the idioms “that’s the way the cookie crumbles” or “that’s the way the ball bounces.” According to My English Pages, “that’s the way the cookie … Read more

Who Was I?

Mum said I behaved like a sixteen year old. Sarah accused me of not being the loving mother that I used to be. Bill implied that my judgment was impaired and I was paranoid. That’s not how I remember it. What was I like during that first year post-surgery? Was I like a teenager, acting … Read more

Before and After

He said, “It was one of the scariest things in my life.” She said, “I honestly don’t remember.” My heart aches for them and for the children they were.