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Molly Saint-James's avatar

Thanks for sharing this with us, Brian. I love "floaty and atmospheric"--that's awesome! On a personal note, my children's dad died when they were 8 and 11 (now 13 and 16) and though they are thriving, it will be interesting to see how his death affects them in adulthood. I'm glad you have been able to find peace through writing.

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Brian Watson's avatar

Thank you! I think some of my problems had to do with how young the adults in my life were. My mother was 36 when my father died and had no idea how to walk through grief, on her own or with her children. But I'm oddly happy that I can grieve now.

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Victoria Waddle's avatar

So moving. I can’t imagine a father dying so young of heart problems. Love the gentleness and respect of your husband. A difficult anniversary to be sure.

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Brian Watson's avatar

Thank you, Victoria.

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Char Wilkins's avatar

Tender, gentle and real. I always feel included when I read your pieces. Looking forward to Audacity essay in TWO days!

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Brian Watson's avatar

Thank you, dear friend! I hope you will like the piece in The Audacity.

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Kresha Richman Warnock's avatar

Blessings, Brian. To lose your father so young is such a tragedy. Your writing about the experience is so eloquent and moving. Thanks for sharing your heart, and from a technical point of view, showing how it's done.

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Brian Watson's avatar

Thank you, Kresha. I have to hope he’s still as proud of me as he was when I was a boy.

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Eileen Vorbach Collins's avatar

This is beautiful, Brian. I'm looking forward to your essay in the Audacity and wish you all the best in the querying arena.

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Brian Watson's avatar

Thank you so much. That Audacity essay will be quite saucy. I’m trying to figure out how to announce it to readers who might not be ready to know quite that much about my past.

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May 5, 2024
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Brian Watson's avatar

Thank you for the kind feedback! And you’re very right. It took more that ten years for me to figure out how to navigate that grief closet and to let in some light.

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