I choose art media like I choose sandwiches.
I go with my favorite.
The sure thing.
What I love the most — Collage.
Creating through collage requires bringing many things together into a whole. Like community, it feels like “Here comes everybody!” or, better, “Here come all the things.”
This was Camp Widow Tampa, 2024. As mentioned by Michele in the final talk of the weekend, there is so much to say that my mouth and mind feel full of its amazingness, but no clear thoughts come to mind.
I’ll attempt here to recreate it here.
The backdrop of the experience is in itself a collage, so imagine the base of our collage as a 24”x 36” piece of art paper divided into several continent-shapes on the page.
Each continent represents the participants: newly widowed people; those widowed longer, but first timers at camp; returning widowed folk, re-partnered partners, widowed presenters, Keynote Speaker, the Soaring Spirits Team, the Marriott Team, and all those in the building this past weekend, including other events, wedding parties, and random travelers coming from here to there.
The other images don’t translate as neatly—moments, glimpses, memories. There were presentations and welcoming crews, bookstore and schedule displays, registration tables and information galore.
Coffee, coffee, coffee, and water, water, water; flags indicating need-specific groups, a tall display of faces titled “Well Loved,” many round tables and many rows of chairs; restaurant bars and tables for talking; familiar and new faces; hugging and laughter.
Honoring our person.
Saying their Name.
Remembering.
What kind of recipe is this?
Some say it’s healing played to dance music.
Others say it’s hope disguised as talking and listening.
I say it is all that and more.
It’s gratitude mixed with growth.
Courage facing down fear.
An oasis for weary widowed people.
But none of these descriptions come close to how it makes you feel in person when you experience it yourself.
Don’t wait a second more if you want to go to San Diego….it will fill up soon.
GIANT thank you to Michele and her team!
It was AMAZING!
Dining at Camp Widow under the Moon & Stars.
Camp Widow San Diego – July 19 – 21, 2024
Camp Widow Australia – May 24 – 26, 2024
Camp Widow Toronto – November 8 – 10, 2024
