I am participating in this year’s Out of Darkness Walk
sponsored by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. For the last
couple of years I have followed the Foundation’s work on Facebook, and with this
year’s walk coming to my home town, it just seems like its time to DO THIS
THING.
It will be a 16 – 18 mile walk through Washington, DC, timed to
begin at dusk and end at daylight. I love the imagery. The Foundation raises money to support research and we all know that
research around mental illness is not just going to magically happen. And it is
obvious – too painfully obvious – that there is untold research to be done. The
topics of mental illness and suicide must come out of the darkness so that they
can be studied in the light of day.
For me, the walk itself will not be the most challenging piece
of this walk. More challenging for sure is the fund raising. Fund raising
means revisiting and telling my story in ways that I have not been comfortable
before. As you know, I don’t even use my real name in writing this blog. So
this is a massive leap for me. Perhaps this is just the challenge I need as
I continue, with life long commitment, to put a new sense of self together.
As new as this feels, I have been overwhelmed with the support
I have received and reminded of how love surrounds us all. As a society, it
seems we have gotten to the point that we know that something must be done to
support those impacted in any way by mental illness. I am encouraged.
If you would like to join me in this walk – either in person or
by donating – I urge you to visit the site. Even a brief skimming of AFSP’s
webpages is a testament to the fact that, even as we grieve, we are not
alone.
