Who would want to spend an entire weekend with a bunch of sappy widdas?
Me.

I’ve seen the looks when I tell people I’m going to “Camp Widow”.  I can tell that they think it sounds morbid, depressing, like they very last thing I should be doing.  I have found myself even saying I’m just going to a “conference” where I’ll be speaking about blogging.  Those two things are partly true, but I left out the main characters: I’m going to a conference on widowhood where I’ll be talking about blogging on grief!

This is what I wanted, what I asked for.  In the past year I began submitting queries to all different types of grief related organizations to speak at their conferences about my journey.  I felt like an EXPERT in my field, which was, essentially, just being an expert on my story.  I didn’t get any acceptance letters, and I felt my dream die a bit.  When the opportunity to apply to present a workshop at Camp Widow for Soaring Spirits Loss Organization came about, I went into with a different angle.  What am I an expert in?  My journey, yes.  But also, how I go about sharing it.  This time, I was accepted.

I’m one of those people who loves to speak in public.  I got a 98% in my public speaking class in college.  I like researching the information I am going to present.  I like talking (duh).  I like getting to meet the people with whom I’m sharing my journey.  I like making people laugh.  Sometimes, I even make people cry.

There is bound to be some crying sappy widows this weekend, and I have no doubt that I will be one of them.  I don’t expect you to understand why I would want to surround myself with so much additional grief.  All I can say is that I want to share my story with more people so that they know where I come from.  Where I come from tells a lot about where I am now in life.  Part of this life is about being immersed in the grief of others.  Not so that I have to bear additional pain, but so that I can give comfort and in turn I can seek comfort.  When there is a plateau of understanding between two people, a lot of healing occurs.

I hope I’ll be meeting you at Camp Widow this weekend and that you might be attending our workshop on blogging about your grief journey.  We’re gonna do this together, or we’re not gonna do it at all.