What if you threw a potluck dinner
for friends, and everyone who came was grieving? Cool, right!
Well, cool if you had lost
someone, because there is so little support in the community for those who are
grieving. Otherwise, you might not think it was so great.
An organization called “The
Dinner Party” is gathering people who are grieving for potluck dinners. Gatherings
have been hosted in cities across the country. Currently there are 140+ tables
in more than 60 cities, with a few smaller towns in the mix.
* If you would like to read the rest of this post, let me know and I’ll send it to you. *
*
In addition to my blog, I’ve
written about grief for Modern Loss, Good
Men Project, Manifest-Station, Refuge in Grief, Open to Hope, The Huffington
Post, and a number of other journals like Rebelle Society, and Mindful
Matter. All are good places to read about grief and hear the stories of
others. But nothing replaces face-to-face sharing with people who get grief.
Nothing replaces face to face. Our Hospice has two monthly social gatherings, one for breakfast and one for lunch. People seem to get attached to one of the groups and stay a long time. There is also an active Death Cafe group in Ithaca.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know about these potluck dinners until reading about them here. I'm glad there are these options for younger people. By the time we're in our mid 60s or older, there are many friends grieving for children, parents, and spouses, friends grieving for lost health, and friends grieving for lost homes and jobs. These people are part of the social scene in my world. I know that's unusual, and I'm grateful.
You're right, Elaine. There are groups for older people, as well as friends who have lost someone or something dear to them. I'm glad there are the Dinner Parties for young adults, as well as online journals like Modern Loss. Yet no matter our age, we're all learning how to talk intelligently and emotionally about grief.
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