THE passing of Datuk Bridget Menezes (pic) on May 24, came as a shock to many who knew her well.
As a self-empowerment guru and author, she was the doyen of high society in the early nineties up to 2019, a much sought-after speaker, popular for her ability to bring laughter and happiness wherever she went, with her ready smile and a twinkle in her eye.
Her weekly column in theSun, “Be Light” ran for 10 years and was original in every way, as it showed a pathway to happiness, improving mental health and living a life of harmony.
It came at a much-needed time when people were searching for pathways to happiness through meditation or yoga.
Her transformation from a hip-swinging mini-skirted piano teacher, who taught for over 40 years, was much loved by her students for her unorthodox yet disciplined method of teaching, which endeared her to students and parents.
It was Paul Menezes, her youngest son who introduced her to the spiritual world of Brahma Kumaris, through a meditation course in 1988, and it forever changed her, as she was amazed by the transformation and the inner calm that it brought her.
When she walked into theSun office in 1999, she was the epitome of positivity, and everyone was in awe of her aura of happiness and disposition.
As a young feature writer on the Culture and Lifestyle desk, I was assigned to take charge of her articles, and eventually, she earned a weekly column, which proved popular with readers.
That marked the beginning of our long friendship, which spanned more than 20 years and left an indelible mark on my life.
One of her traits is her ability to appeal to all segments of society, whether it was a Datuk, a Tan Sri, a Datin or a maid with marital problems – they all found her endearing and helpful.
As a vegetarian, she and her husband, Freddy Menezes would whip up creative meals and her house was elegant and minimalist.
As a much sought-after speaker on radio and television, she was also invited to mentor beauty pageant participants. Her services as an empowerment speaker were also in demand at forums and conferences.
Her trademark smile and white coiffured hair became her branding, and droves of VIPs lined up at talks and conferences to listen to the magic of meditation, and her popularity grew.
Her lasting legacy, her book on Self-Empowerment, published in 2004, made it to the bestseller list and remains a collection of stories that could be used as a daily guide to who we are and what we do.
Rest in peace dear Bridget, and thank you for inspiring us when we needed it most.
