Out of Darkness
Yesterday when my alarm blared, the morning was cool and extremely foggy. As I lifted my sore body off the warm bed it was impossible to decide which of its parts was more painful. Two days ago I took a hard fall and was lucky to find nothing broken as two nice folks helped me to my feet. Brisk walking two to three miles or more a day has been my main exercise for the past few years. I generally avoid sidewalks, keeping to the nature trails in the nearby Parklands. https://www.theparklands.org/Parks/Pope-Lick-Park I should have stuck to that plan because once again my walk had been rudely interrupted by concrete here in my neighborhood.
During the past two painful days, I had tried to decide whether I would be able to keep my commitment to participate in the “Out of Darkness” walk sponsored by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention* (AFSP). I was pre-registered and looking forward to walking with the group I had recently joined, so I decided to give it a try and I am so glad that I did, even though I did not quite make the entire course.
Almost 600 people were gathered at the Waterfront Park here in Louisville to raise funds for suicide prevention and to promote education about suicide awareness. Tens of thousands more walked across this country. It was humbling to be in the company of so people who had been touched by suicide. We walked in remembrance. We walked in unity with survivors. We walked simply to give support, both emotional and financial.
Walking is good exercise, even for the clumsy, but walking in collaboration with others for an important cause was worth the extra effort it took yesterday.
Earlier this year I wrote several blog posts on the subject of death and on March 1, specifically about suicide. It is a tough subject to discuss and I will always be grateful for the person who allowed me to post the eulogy that she gave for her mother who died in December of 2014 as the result of suicide. I hope that you will read or re-read that post, https://crookedcreek.live/2017/03/01/death-suicide/ because the words written by Laurie Lamb Ray more clearly express the need for suicide awareness than I ever could. Her heartbreakingly candid account of her Mom’s depression provides a window on this subject we scarcely encounter. Yesterday I walked for Laurie’s Mom, Marilyn, and for my cousin David, both of whom I sincerely miss.
Crooked Creek by Sue Mattingly 
I applaud this presentation of your blog.
People walk in darkness daily, considering the thought of suicide.
Sadly, most of these people will not openly discuss their thoughts, due to the fear of alienation, fear of being labeled, ” crazy.” Fear, may be the final step of contemplating the thought of suicide?
Fear often produces emotions of fight
or flight. Ironically, those that have died from suicide ” fought” silently for a long time. Perhaps, their last resort, is flight. To act upon.
The stigma of weakness must be removed from the thought of suicide.
I venture to think, that it takes a very strong person to decide to take their own life.
There will always be the person that will not except help, sadly, We, as a society cannot change the fact, However, I do believe Society can make a difference with an open heart and mind, to people that are on their paths encountered.
My reply is definitely not scientific, just a thought.
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Thank you for taking this walk. I wish that I had planned better and been able to join you. The ones I know who committed suicide are never far away in thought as well as their loving families.
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Auntie, I applaud your strong willed ability to get up and get back on the concrete horse! Even when you’re thrown for a loop, both figuratively and literally, there you are, right back up and in the mix.
Thank you for bringing to light the subject of suicide and for supporting those who have been and may be affected.
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So proud of you my beautiful and committed Friend! I’m amazed once again! You always keep going! Even after obstacles…..
Sent from my iPad
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So glad you were able to get up, in spite of your injuries, and participate in this walk for an important cause.
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I’m proud of you for bringing awareness to this important cause.
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