A Darker Shade of Pale tells the story of life as a person of mixed race in apartheid South Africa. After the National Party gained power in South Africa in 1948, the all-white government took control by legislating their policies of racial segregation under a system called apartheid.

Forced to live among the sand dunes and narrow streets of Council housing estates, through her mixed ancestry Beryl was classified as Coloured, not white enough or not black enough. This allowed the government to shape her life, where she was allowed to live, to attend school, to sit on the train, to work, and who she could marry.

Growing up in council housing estates on the Cape Flats in the 1960s and early 1970s it wasn’t until reaching high school that she discovered a richer life on the other side of the tracks for those classified as white. The stark reality of the inequality towards her skin colour made her question her ancestry and her parents’ acceptance of their classification. She was drawn to joining rallies to fight the government but at home any such discussions were strongly dismissed.

It is a remarkable story of the resilience of her parents, particularly her mother Sarah who recognised that the future for her children was through education. Sarah, faced with many challenges – the death of a young child, a husband suffering ill-health, five children to feed and to keep a roof over their head powered the way forward to increase their chances of a better life should apartheid crumble.

A Darker Shade of Pale is a moving account of Beryl’s family and community life in segregated South Africa – the injustices, humiliation and challenges and finally finding acceptance when she moved to Australia in the 1980s

In Behind My Smile: The True Story of an Author, a Broken Spirit and a Healer Beryl dissects her struggles with grief; a grief born of the devastating losses of her father and siblings, and loss of place in the country of her birth.

After a lifelong battle with self-acceptance Beryl found the keys to overcoming the stigma of mental breakdown and its sweeping effects. She describes the steps she took to climb back from debilitating fear and what she saw as failure in her quest for mental health.

The book offers a candid and absorbing account of Beryl’s healing journey. She shares details of the intensive work of a clinical psychologist and energy medicine practitioner.

This healing encouraged Beryl to explore her belief in the power of her heritage, the gifts available from contact with her ancestors and traditional healing methods. Having found a true healer, Beryl was able to see the richness of a life free of all manner of oppression — political, psychological, material. This story is essential reading for anyone who knows what it means to hover on the edge, and found a way to dive back into life

Finding self-love can be enlightening and transform your entire perspective on life. Do you know that you are worthy of love and acceptance just as you are?
For the author, Beryl Crosher-Segers, becoming aware of her worth ignited a fire within her and a burning desire to embrace every part of herself, flaws and all. She learned to silence her inner critic – that voice that constantly planted seeds of doubt and negativity – replacing it with a voice of compassion and understanding.

Each day now, she consciously activates acceptance by acknowledging her strengths and celebrating her achievements, no matter how small. And she reminds herself that she is deserving of love, kindness, and respect.
As she practices this, she can’t help but see a profound shift in her mindset and overall well- being. Self-love has become her anchor, allowing her to navigate the ups and downs of life with grace and authenticity.

You can have this too if you allow it….