First Annual Memory Walk 2003
The Anne Arundel Chapter of The Bereaved Parents of the USA held its First Annual Memory Walk on Saturday October 18, 2003 at Quiet Waters Park in Annapolis. Approximately 65 walkers participated and completed a 2-mile walk through the park. Many sported customized shirts with a photo of their children, which had been made at the Chapter’s October meeting. A fellowship-gathering time, with refreshments, preceded the walk. A dedication and tree planting at the Calvary United Methodist Church, our meeting host site, followed up the walk. As part of the tree dedication clip-on butterflies were personalized by the participants and clipped to the tree. Everyone agreed it was a simple, touching service.
Since this was our Chapter's first memory walk we were unsure what to expect. In the end, however, it turned out to be what can only be described as a glorious, sharing, healing event. The walk turned out to be a very appropriate model of our journey through the grief process. Going into the event this wasn’t apparent. Coming out of the event the observations and comments of many of the participants were insightful in this view. We’d like to share some of them below:
In the walk as in our grieving process:
Sometimes we walked alone, and sometimes we walked with our family and friends.
Sometimes the walk was easy, along a straight, level path, and sometimes it was difficult, going up and down hills.
Sometimes we walked in the warm sun, and sometimes we walked in the cool, cold breeze.
Sometimes the path ahead was clear and visible, and sometimes it twisted and curved so we were not quite sure where we were going.
Sometimes we walked in the living forest, and sometimes we were walking among dead and fallen trees.
And as in the rest of our life since our children have died, we participated in this walk with them in our hearts. And we cried and smiled and remembered.
So yes, our first Memory Walk was a great success and model for our grief process, an example of how our Chapter can help bereaved parents through the grief process.
Please click on the photo link below to see some pictures of our first Annual Memory Walk.