Featured Author: Brenda-Lee Ranta

By Raja's Insight on January 27, 2019 • ( 0 )

Brenda-Lee Ranta composed her first poem at the age of seven. Throughout her life, she used prose as a means of logging her experiences in a life which has been under ‘constant construction.’

Amazing to her, is that at the age of 58, CTU Publishing Group published her first book, “Myriad of Perceptions,” to be followed by “Allegories – a thirst for connection.” It was for her, a life changing experience, taking her from journal writing to giving her words a life beyond herself. Her two books also were awarded five-star reviews from Readers Favorite.

Brenda-Lee shares her journey with her soul mate, Hugh Dysart, also a published poet, lyricist and musician. They are parents to their collective five children and grandchildren. They live a life dedicated to each other, their kids, pets and their shared artforms.

Here is an excerpt from Brenda-Lee’s book A Soul Passenger

Chapter 5 The Dance

The morning began for Brandi in the usual way. Drew messaged her in the early morning. More articulate and reflective regarding his feelings about Alcoholics Anonymous, conceding there was benefits to meetings, but felt he could do it alone. Brandi had a sinking feeling that he was avoiding AA either because of his pride or his very strong agnostic views. Drew held a vehement disapproval of organized religion.

Every Sunday, on his Facebook page, he would post anti-Christian rhetoric. He would also post many things which displayed an abhorrence for Hitler. Many posts Brandi found distasteful, questioning him about it several times; telling him that he should never judge people for where they sought solace. As for Hitler, she questioned why he posted pictures of him, even if it was to ridicule what he was. He simply typed, “it amuses me.”

Brandi didn’t know or understand how a man she had grown to love so deeply, with such a beautiful soul, could post what she considered to be, ugly things, publicly on his Facebook page. She sympathized with his opinions on organized religion, taking issue with being offensive to the methods in which people chose their spiritual journeys. Personally, she considered the teachings of Jesus as a great light in the darkness, although she no longer felt the need to do that within organized religion. Brandi felt the church had subjugated women for centuries, making them feel lesser than men, not suitable for the pulpit, not suitable to make decisions regarding their own bodies, fit only for nursing, school teaching and conducting choirs. She quietly urged him to be gentler; less judgemental, falling on deaf ears.

Drew continued online every day, making no attempt to call or see her. Increasingly annoyed, having been relegated back to the relationship of typed words, insulted her. He was distancing himself again. Growing emotionally tired of it all, in meditation, she begged Source/God to make sense of what was going on. Why did she feel this man? It was torturous to be so emotionally tied to someone who was a phantom, for the most part.

Brandi began talking with another man who would go walking with her around the lake, after work. They had a great deal in common, music, literature and conversations with depth. She thought she should give this friendship a fair opportunity, knowing, because she would feel it inwardly when Drew had other women. When the feelings of inner knowledge came, she was so overcome with soul ache and grief, it seemed as though her heart was held in a vice. Wanting so badly, at those time, to be done with him, to hate him; instead she became filled with infernal compassion for him; believing he sought the affection of strangers rather than risk emotionally committing to anyone.

In one conversation, they were quite frank with each other. He openly stated “Brandi, I can’t make love to you because I would never hurt you like that.” It was a back handed compliment; yet felt like rejection.

Continued in book . . .