Kitsune Fox
I haven't said much in the way of tribute to honor Mr. Ronald E.Bright publicly. This is not for lack of a full heart of love for him but conversely because my heart was indeed too full.
Even in prayer for his family, whom in so many ways I consider my family as well, I have had to rely on the Holy Spirit to intercede and speak to the Lord on my behalf and had only the ability to thank God that He could read the grief written on this full heart of mine.
I have said that Mr. Bright was a father to us all. He was a father of art and ideas and love. He is the reason many have realized passion, have followed their dreams, and have found love in theatre and in the people he brought together.
His life has touched thousands of others in a very direct way and therefore a multitude of other lives who never knew him. We, his students of art and love, understood our responsibility to go out into the world and share what he taught us in our art and in our love for others. And thus his legacy lives on.
He has taught me too much to ever put down in words but what I have taken away from knowing him most vividly was the importance of always striving for excellence and then perfecting that excellence.
It still astounds me to know that he was in the audience for every single show he directed, and then go home and run through the entire show again in his mind, taking notes concerning even the smallest of details.
The next day before a show he would find us individually and give us these notes that we may deliver an even better show that night. It kept me humble and reminded me that no matter how perfect a performance was…it could still be even more perfect.
As a perfectionist myself, I admired that in him. And though, I'll admit, it was frustrating to feel I could never be good enough I realized that is the point…. in life and in live theatre. It will never be perfect. I will never be perfect. I can strive everyday but that is the beauty of life and live performances. Its nature is to carry with it flaws that remind us we are human.
Flaws teach us to "Believe in Ourselves" because without them we would cease to savor each moment, be present in each moment, and love each moment. In the end it was never about reaching perfection but rather knowing we can always better ourselves and that we are meant to enjoy the journey to a better self.
I have never met a more joyous person in my life. His very presence in a room lit it up with the joy of his God.
I truly believe if anyone had life figured out, it was Mr. Bright.
And everything beyond what he knew was not something to fret about because I know he knew what a grand thing life is and how small we all are in it.
He was brilliant in theatre but the real art he put first and foremost was the art of being an excellent husband and father. This was evident just by looking at the way his family looked at him. They could not hide their love and pure adoration for him in each gentle smile they sent his way. Every look they gave him was almost so laden with love, affection, gratitude and admiration, I felt sometimes those glances might sink to the floor before it reach him. But he received each one loud and clear.
His mastery of the stage and being a living example of pure love for people will always tremble, sweetly, in my heart as the "Wind in the Willows" are made to sing by the beautiful breezes.
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