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Brilliant!
july &
august &
september 2007
We
hope this newsletter finds you and your loved ones in excellent health and
great happiness. I realise it's been three months since our
last communication and I must apologise for the length of time it's taken
to get this newsletter out to you. Unfortunately, we experienced a
couple of personal tragedies recently which quite knocked the
wind out of our sails and it has taken a while to get back to some sense
of normality.
Firstly,
our brother-in-law died suddenly in late June as a result of an event known
as Aortic
Dissection. Leigh was a fit
and health-conscious man of just 64 years, but a hereditary weakness
brought about his completely unexpected and very tragic passing. He
was a very family-oriented man and my sister and their four adult children were
devastated to lose such a loving husband and father. Leigh's career
in the Education sector included time as a Secondary School teacher,
School Principal and then District Inspector and he was also a key figure in the Australian inventor
community for over 30 years. The Thanksgiving service held to
celebrate his life was was attended by over 400 people who
came from all over Australia to pay their
respects. It was a fitting demonstration of the high esteem in which
Leigh was held by so many people. He is missed.
Our
second loss was that of our noble canine companion of nearly fourteen
years - George. George came to us as a three month old stray puppy
and blessed our lives with his unconditional and abundant love, remarkable
dignity and a gentle nature like no other animal we have ever had.
George was a beautiful, golden haired Corgi/Irish Wolfhound cross and the
physical result of that remarkable blend was a long, low slung hound with
an eventual susceptibility to back
problems. He fell victim to Degenerative Myelopathy
- a
progressive disease of the spinal cord
in older dogs.
This gradually took away his mobility over an 18 month period and finally
an aggressive infection was just too much for his weakened body to cope
with, and we had to make the heartbreaking decision to put him to
sleep. Anyone who has had to agonise over this decision will
understand the immense difficulty and huge responsibility we all face when
weighing up the options of life or death for a beloved animal companion,
but at least we can relieve their suffering and help them cross over to a
place where all their physical restrictions are gone and they can once
again run free - as we know George is doing today.
Barbara
and I would like to sincerely thank the many "Brilliant!"
subscribers who contacted us during this downtime to enquire if we were OK
and tell us that they were missing their monthly dose of positive,
uplifting Bright Light entertainment. We appreciate your concern and
support.
These
recent losses have focussed my attention on the realm of life
after life and I am reminded of, and comforted by, the extraordinary healing
experiences and deep spiritual awakenings that occur to members of
the Morrison family in Barbara's wonderful visionary novel, "Letters
to Michael". Barbara uses the intimate knowledge she gained
through several traumatic childhood NDEs (near death experiences) to show
the remarkable journey our loved ones embark upon when they cross
over. Every time I re-read "Letters
to Michael" it reminds me that we are
never completely separated by death and our loved ones are always
around us - if we want them to be.
Alumni
News
Now,
onto some happier, Bright Light news ...
Last newsletter, I told you about one
of our youngest Bright Light Café contributors, Australian, Taylor Dean,
who was only 9 years old when her talents were first showcased with us.
Well, following on from her success at a recent National ice skating
event, Taylor has done it again - this time at the 2007 Australian Figure
Skating Championships, where she turned on a spectacular performance and
skated to a brilliant second place. Wow, this eleven year old is
really going places and we send her our warm congratulations.
Taylor's
other creative talents can be heard at the Café as she performs her fun poem called
Kids,
or plays her original piano piece called Drifting
Memories and she also performs two other pieces -
the fun poem The
Lost Wallet by Joan Ridley and Barbara Llewellyn's
humorous ode to dental challenges, Teeth.
Another Bright Light alumni making news is US contributor, Michael Lee
Johnson, who has just self-published his first chapbook of poems titled "The
Lost American: A Tender Touch & A Shade Of Blue" and a full
paper back of poetry, "The Lost American II: From Exile to
Freedom", and is soon to release a second book of poetry.
Congratulations, Michael - we wish you great success. Michael
currently has six excellent examples of his poetic talents on display at
the Café
- A
Poem of the Night, Captured
Shell Cranium, Eclipse
of Thought, Flight
of the Eagle, Michelangelo:
Painter and Poet, and She.
This
month The
Bright Light Café has another wonderful selection of new entertainment
for you to savour. There are 3 great new poems, 3 short stories, and
4 excellent new audio
performances.
And here is the Creative Director of Bright Light
Multimedia, the beautiful and talented Barbara
Llewellyn, to introduce these new pieces. Enjoy!
Performances
Time
for a touch of inspiration with a gentle "ahhh" moment, and then
just have a good old fashioned laugh at the absurdities of the human
condition ... and the English language.
Gorgeous
by Rebekah
Lyell
(530 words)
Ugly, she thought. Ugly, ugly, ugly. Standing in the mirror she did not like what she saw. Long crooked toes. Fat white thighs that wobbled when she breathed. A stomach that looked as though the only thing she ate was beer. Tiny little mole hills, no way they could sustain life she mused. Turkey skin arms. Big brown freckles splotched wherever they felt the need to congregate. Pasty white skin. Uneven lips.
Listen
Now
...
Internet
Love
by Dianne
Foley
I'm 6'2" and handsome
Ask anyone who's met me
I'm rich and bored and happy
Come on line and get me
Listen
Now ...
Nobody
Wrote This
by Geoff Weilert
When I was young, I was told to work hard,
And to make someone of my self,
Be the best, become a champ
And put trophies on my shelf.
So strive I did, through toil and tears,
To have my star shine above the rest.
But now I find, ‘twas all in vain,
Because, to be somebody, is not the best.
Listen
Now ...
Seen
and Not Heard
by Geoff Weilert
Maybe, it’s just me
But doesn’t it sound quite absurd
To have letters in words
That are seen but not heard.
Listen
Now ...
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"Letters
to Michael"
Have
you ever wondered
what happens after we die?
Find out now in this
insightful, inspiring and gently humorous adventure story of life, death, and what happens
"over there".
Prepare
to laugh and cry and feel good all over as you come face to face with
the power of love and
profound and timeless spiritual truths.
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IT NOW
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Poetry
Thank you in
joining us in welcoming Dianne
Foley, from Australia, into the Bright
Light Creative Family. Dianne has a wonderfully wicked sense of
humour, that is sure to delight you. Go have a look and a listen and
give yourself a giggle.
Internet
Love
I'm 6'2" and handsome
Ask anyone who's met me
I'm rich and bored and happy
Come on line and get me
Read more ...
The
wonderful Carl
Palmer, from the United States, brightens all our days with
his warmth and gentle humour. If you've ever wondered how to break
into your own car or watched the antics of kittens, you'll be instantly
feel warmed with positive revelations and memories as Carl shares how he
has viewed these situations.
Making
Allowance
pleased with the brand new door lock knobs
chrome, smooth and tapered, anti-theft
no ridge to grasp with a coat hanger
I swung shut the door to my truck
with the keys dangling from the ignition
Read more ...
Calico
Sentinel
the seedless dandelion tuft
arriving on nonexistent breeze
settles softly upon fluffy feline tail
observed by the one male kitten
in the family of four
who quickly pounces upon his prey
Read More ...
Short
Stories
Nicole
West, from Australia, always fills her stories with interesting people and
situations. Her latest tale has a strong sense of personal growth
while, as always, being a good read, meeting people you quickly care
about. The main character certainly lives in beautiful part of the
world.
More
Than a View (2,447
words)
I had two minutes to get to work on time. I opened the front door of my apartment to be greeted by the smiling face of my neighbour, Harry. Not noticing my harassed expression, Harry launched into a detailed story of his upset stomach, brought on by an Indian feast last night.
I smiled, mumbled responses and squeezed past him to the stairwell. Mrs Knightly, from three floors up, was on her way down the stairs. She was carrying a beach chair in one hand and a fluorescent green umbrella in the other, therefore consuming all space on either side.
Read
More ...
Bright
Lighter, Christine
Tothill, hails from the UK, lives in Spain and is
presently visiting the beautiful, sunny shores of Oz. She has a
marvellous ability to quiet the heart and dig into a deeper love with all
her short stories. Her latest tale might even bring a tear or two,
but any tears will be cleansing and blessed with a universal
understanding.
Remember?
(681 words)
Do you remember getting dressed in front of an electric fire; when your legs burned and your skin went red and blotchy?
Do you remember waking in the morning, the windows frosted over – you blew on them and the frost would melt and you wrote my name in the mist?
Do remember when I toasted crumpets on a fork from the heat of the fire, spread marge over them and yours dripped over your school shirt and I had to rinse it? Do you remember? It was the first meal I made. My first time cooking for you.
Read
More ...
Please,
join us in welcoming Dion J.
Crowe, from Australia, into the Bright Light
creative family. It's a real pleasure to have a talent so full of
fun and brightness share his stories of the good people in the
world. Welcome, Dion, may there always be a scent of jasmine warming
your days.
A
Breath of Fresh Air
(1,708 words)
So, what’s your
name?"
"I’m sorry. What?"
"Your name. What is it?"
"Why do you want to know?"
"So I can introduce myself."
I blinked, confounded by this girl’s forthrightness.
"Well?"
"Peter. My name is Peter."
An enchanting young woman with a sparkle of life in her eyes and two braids in her hair offered her
hand, "Nice to meet you, Peter. I’m Julie."
Read
More ...
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The
Second Trigger
If
you've ever felt someone's words or actions make you instantly
angry, upset or frightened, you have experienced your emotional
triggers being switched on.
Do
you want other people to keep
"pushing your buttons"?
Or do you want to
take back the power that is rightfully
yours?
When
you want to be in control of your own life, it's time for The
Second Trigger and the Master Switch that will override
all your negative responses.
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NOW
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Sometimes
life stops us in our tracks, stranded in the middle of nowhere, while a
torrential rain tears at our hearts. It takes a while to realise
that the rain is more than cold and hard and hurtful. It takes a
while, it seems like forever, but eventually a ray of sun shines through
the clouds of our pain-filled thoughts and a delightful memory pops
through. It's only then we realise how clean our spirit is, how
ready we are for a renewal of the journey that will eventually return us
to the ones we thought were lost. To everyone else on the journey,
we hope our bright lights are making your days a little easier. We
hope pain's rain eases up a little every time you travel through our pages
and products. As always, you have our love, our positive thoughts
and ...
Our warmest regards,
Barbara
Llewellyn & Rod Kirkham
Publishers
**You
have received this email because you opted in to our frëe newsletter when
you completed a form on our website or you are a creative contributor to
The Bright Light Café or Bright Light Multimedia.
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