Content by Debra Brown
The Sister
The Unlikely Messenger: A Slice of Life with Debra Brown “It’ll be fun,” my daughter Meredith said. “We can discover our family origins.” So, we ordered Ancestry DNA kits as Christmas gifts. The results were fun until I received a private Facebook message a year later. I’d felt emotional on the dreary November day, the day after Dad’s birthday, 7 years after his death, and the day before Mom and Dad’s anniversary. It was 2018, the year Mom died, so…
The Christmas China
The Unlikely Messenger: A Slice of Life with Debra Brown The moody January sky cast shadows through the window on the glass of the china cabinet where my friend Joyce and I stood, staring at the contents inside. “Meredith’s generation is less attached to things,” Joyce said. “It’s not a reflection on her childhood. It’s not a reflection on how she feels about you or Allen.” I nodded. “But she doesn’t even want the Christmas china she’s used since birth,”…
The Christmas Lesson
The Unlikely Messenger: A Slice of Life with Debra Brown Christmas usually meant a time of light and joy for our family. But one year, it seemed to be Dad’s winter of discontent. Christmas officially started the day after Thanksgiving at our house. The wreath went up, Christmas cards were mailed, and we decorated every room with holiday cheer. Mom baked goodies for us to put in gift tins for presents. We enjoyed the spirit of giving. Like every year…
Feast Mode
The Unlikely Messenger: A Slice of Life with Debra Brown When I married Allen, I had few cooking skills. My culinary repertoire leaned toward sides: salads and steamed or roasted veggies. I had recipes for no-bake desserts and simple casseroles for family gatherings. Allen grilled, and I made a side. Done. Our routine contrasted with how my mom and mother-in-law Willa thought we should do things. Willa often chided me about my lack of interest in the kitchen. She wasn’t…
Scattered Pennies
The Unlikely Messenger: A Slice of Life with Debra Brown My heart raced when I noticed shiny pennies glistening against the pavement near my car. I looked around as my rational mind said, “Calm down. You’re safe. You haven’t experienced a stalking incident in decades.” But my rational mind didn’t help me get groceries into the car or drive home as my Charleston stalker memories returned. He’d used pennies to terrorize me for years before I married Allen and moved…
Tell Me More
The Unlikely Messenger: A Slice of Life with Debra Brown “What’d I say?” my husband Allen asked me. Ugh. “I was listening,” I said, aggravated, rattling off verbatim what he’d said while I finished cooking dinner. I plated our food and hoped he wouldn’t share more of the tedious minutia of his day. I had enough of my own. I prided myself on multi-tasking. I handled family responsibilities, work duties, freelance projects, and constant deadlines. No matter what, I’d get…
Long Road Home
The Unlikely Messenger: A Slice of Life with Debra Brown The excitement had dimmed since the weekend trip to NC for Meredith’s dorm move-in and the start of her first year of college. We’d worked toward that move-in weekend for months – but in reality, we’d planned it since her birth. We spent the summer handling the final details on her college-bound to-do list and checked off items. I smiled when anyone said to Meredith, “How exciting! You’re flying the…
Fasten Your Seatbelts
The Unlikely Messenger: A Slice of Life with Debra Brown I liked visiting faraway places, but I stressed over flying. As a white-knuckled passenger, I preferred to keep my feet on the ground. All heights scared me. Driving over tall bridges or riding skyscraper elevators to the top floors caused me to break out in a cold sweat. Even participating in fun activities like zip-lining or taking in breathtaking views from scenic overlooks produced as much anxiety as excitement.…
Anchor in the Storm
The Unlikely Messenger: A Slice of Life with Debra Brown I stood at the window, watching the trees swaying in the wind, and worried about the latest weather alert blasting from my iPhone. As I watched, storm clouds gathered until darkness encompassed the afternoon sky. Lightning flashed and thunder rumbled. Soon, sheets of rain drenched the ground with standing water flooding low-lying areas of the yard. When the thunder boomed, shaking the house, I could hear my mom’s shouts of…
A Friend In Time
The Unlikely Messenger: A Slice of Life with Debra Brown Blowing rain peppered the windows. I pulled my sweater tighter around me to combat the chill, breathing in the scent of my spicy chai latte, and read the text for the third time before responding. “I don’t think we should be friends anymore.” The words from a close friend blindsided me. I could only respond, “What? Why?” “I’m not mad at you,” she answered. “I’m not going to block you…