Next week I will be attending Camp Widow in Toronto, Canada.
I will be presenting two workshops there. One is my usual “My Husband Is Not a Rainbow” comedic presentation about grief and loss.
The other is called “Widowed Improv.” Basically, we will be playing fun improvisation theatre games. With widowed people.
This will be the 3rd or 4th time Ive attended and presented in Toronto (lost track), and probably over the 20th time in total presenting at all 3 camp locations.
(Toronto, Tampa, San Diego)
I love going to Camp Widow.
It has become part of my life.
YOU have all become part of my life.
Life after loss.
Widowed people befriending other widowed people.
It is a beautiful thing.
When I lost my husband Don very suddenly , just over eight years ago, I thought my life was over.
I didnt fit in anywhere, and I didnt want to.
I didnt want to actively die, but I didnt care much to live either.
Meeting other widowed people along the way literally saved my life.
Talking to all of you, laughing and crying with you, feeling crazy with you ……..
making mistakes with you, trying to find purpose again with you, cheering each other on and standing beside one another…
All of it made life seem worth living again.
You became family.
You are my friends for life, and Ive grown very close to a lot of you.
When I go to Camp Widow, I see so many of these friends.
Watching them live again is my greatest joy.
ANd when I hug them and share moments with them,
it feels as if they are each a piece of my husband.
We are connected because he died,
and because their person also died.
So the people we love have connected us to people we can find comfort in.
Loss Connections.
My favorite thing.
All the love I have collected,
that grew from the life and death of my husband,
and what I have tried to do
in the aftermath.
Love Grows Love.