“A crooked tree lives its own life, but a straight tree is turned into wood.” ~ Chinese Proverb
friends
Deb and I have been trying to get together since Christmas, but adulting and my March illness got in the way. Still, I think it worked out perfectly. Yesterday, after taking the last of the personal belongings out of the house, Deb and I went to Midway together for Normandi Ellis’ latest book release, The Blue Bitch. It’s a collection of very personal short stories, part truth, part fictionalized. This is her return to short stories after her long-lived writing career on Egyptian spirituality. I first met Normandi many years ago when Deb encouraged me to attend one of Normandi’s writing workshops at The Carnegie Center with her. She had been one of Deb’s early writing instructors and became a lifelong friend and mentor. Normandi did not disappoint then, and she didn’t disappoint last night. The first story she read from her new book was about her father, who eventually died from dementia. I understood it deeply. The painting on the cover was her father’s. It is her mother from early in their marriage, which her mother called “the blue bitch.” It was a pretty funny story. Last night with Deb and Normandi was the balm I needed after an unexpectedly emotional day, and I am buoyed by Normandi’s return to teaching locally. I am, as always, grateful for Deb and her uncanny timing and intuition.
2 Responses
Thank you, Kopana. it was lovely to see you again. We will make this the first of many reconnections. I was glad to see you and Deb.
It was a wonderful evening