April 28 is National Grieving in Public Day 

A guided forest walk to honor individual and collective grief on National Grieving in Public Day.

Free

10:00 AM

Meet at the Hinds St. entrance to Schmitz Preserve Park.

We’ll start just after 10:00 AM with introductions and general guidelines. Then we will walk in a group (or single file as the path allows) through the park towards Alki Beach.

What is a grief walk? We will walk among the flora of the park talking about and feeling grief, while allowing ourselves to draw comfort from the presence of others who are also grieving. During the walk we will stop a few times for poetry, observation, movement, story sharing, and quiet contemplation. No one is required to share their story, but everyone is expected to listen with an open heart and without judgment. We will not be sharing trauma stories. The focus will be on grief awareness in ourselves and in our communities. The more we acknowledge that grief is a normal part of living, the better we will each be able to carry our own sorrows and support others in their grief.

We’ll end at Alki Elementary School. The duration of the walk will depend on how much time we spend listening, whether to each other’s stories or to the leaves rustling, birds calling, and the creek whispering. I anticipate it will be approximately one hour overall.

All are welcome. Keep in mind we will be talking about grief and death. The trails are uneven and sometimes narrow, and there are a couple steep inclines and one set of wooden stairs. The ground may be muddy. I trust you to know what your body can manage and to take care of yourself accordingly.

Bring water and wear comfortable shoes (see above about uneven ground). 

**This grief walk is inspired by Window Seat Media’s Story Walks.**