Every Step Has a Story

Dear Friends,

I am often amazed at how rapidly life changes ~ how quickly the landscape in which we live alters around us! Since the last newsletter, so many exciting things have happened! I am anxious to share them with you and ask that you consider passing the newsletter along to friends and family members you think might find the news as exciting as I!

Here goes!

Mark

McKinney, TX to Nashville, TN~600 Miles/Thirty Days         

As you know from last month's newsletter, I've had one of those "crazy ideas" again! The Every Step Has a Story project I told you about is taking on a life of its own! I would never have dreamed that so much could happen in such a short time, but it has!

On April 1, 2011, I will depart McKinney, TX, headed for Nashville, TN ~ a 600 mile hike ~ averaging 20 to 25 miles per day. My plans are to complete this task on Saturday April 30, 2011! What would compel a 57 year old bald guy to take on such a project? Glad you asked!

Essentially, my passion to provide support for grieving children, adolescents and families drives me to pursue this task. Following are the three goals I have for this project:

• To raise awareness of the scope and impact of childhood and adolescent grief on a national level.
• To highlight organizations around our country that work to provide support for grieving children and families.
• To raise awareness of and funds for the Journey of Hope Grief Support Center regionally in the North Texas  area.

Now I must confess that as I contemplated sharing this idea with others, I thought I would be met with skepticism or discouragement. To my elation, the opposite has been the case! Without exception, everyone who has listened to the details of this project has been extremely excited and supportive!

In order to accomplish the goals listed above, part of the overall plan includes a town hall type meeting at each stop along the way where I will share my story and collect stories from those in attendance; media coverage ~ nationally, regionally and locally; capturing the walk on video so that a documentary film can be made; ancillary events that will support the primary stated goals of the project just to name a few. A group of volunteers has emerged to help me plan, promote and produce this event! There is no way I can accomplish this on my own.

In the brief time since the last newsletter, the following has happened:

• I was put in touch with two amazing men who will help coordinate and produce the documentary film. David Lyons of Lyons Entertainment and Travis Shortt of Black River Media/Films have latched on to this project with a fierce passion of their own! I am so excited!
• Travis Shortt has volunteered his Public Relations expertise to help promote this project.
• StatGuard Technologies will provide the technology to host and monitor a dedicated website for the walk that will allow 24/7 live streaming video of the event so that folks from anywhere can follow the progress.
• In partnership with StatGuard, Sprint has signed on as a sponsor to provide the phones and related technology to access and upload the video to the site!

I could go on and on, but for now, these  developments will suffice. I will update our progress with periodic emails so be on the lookout!

The First of Many to Come . . .

Donna's Story Between now and April 2011, I will be sharing stories from folks who have experienced the death of a loved one where children or adolescents were directly involved or affected. My intent is to reveal the extent to which children, adolescents and families are touched by the death of loved ones. Often, the stories will reveal positive outcomes. At other times, the realities of of life will find expression in hope unfulfilled. I'm hopeful that you will find this segment in each newsletter and email to be helpful in some way. A little over twenty years ago, I met Donna one day while working out at the YMCA in Plano, TX. I had just completed my first marathon to raise funds for a memorial scholarship in Christy's memory and honor at the University of North Texas. The local YMCA supported my efforts and in the process, posted my picture. Donna recognized me and we began to talk about her experience. Donna shared the following: "You know, Mark, I just celebrated my fortieth birthday yesterday. As exciting as that should have been, I was sad deep down inside." I asked her why and she continued, "Well, I was reminded that twenty-two years ago when I was eighteen, my mother died from breast cancer. I will never forget how empty and lost I felt, but that was not the worst of it all. I was the eldest of six children, the youngest being six. I will never forget the afternoon after my mother's funeral when my dad came into the room and addressed all of us kids. He said 'Your mother is dead. We will grieve for the next two weeks and then we have to get on with life. There is just too much to do to grieve any longer.'" She shared further. "Being the eldest and a female, I took on many responsibilities for raising my younger siblings. I graduated from high school but delayed going to college because there was just too much to do . . . and it was my job to see that all was done the way it needed to be done." I remember her eyes trailing off to some place in her distant past as tears formed in her eyes. She said, "Mark, I have been two weeks into my grief for twenty-two years now. What do I do to start healing?" Donna's courageous sharing of her story that day started her down her own personal path to healing and grief reconciliation. Sharing one's story ~ as often as needed ~ is just one way to begin the process of healing.

Speaking of Speaking . . .

On the Road I have been privileged to speak to many groups recently. In March, I traveled to Las Vegas to present a session on the "Compassionate Delivery of Death Benefits" to a group of life insurance professionals at the annual Life Agency Management Program. In May, I conducted a workshop with the Collin College Counseling Department addressing the "Integration Model of the Grief Process and a New Approach to Grief Counseling." Early July found me in Denton at the UNT Center for Counseling and Human Development spending time with some graduate counseling students and supervising professors talking about the "Integration Model of the Grief Process." The coming months will find me in the following places: September 15 & 16, 2010 ~ Mountain View, CA ~ Cusimano Family Colonial Mortuary ~ Conducting an evening session for the community and a professional development session the next day for counseling, health care, clergy & grief support professionals. October 7, 2010 ~ French Lick, IN (north of Louisville, KY) ~ Northwestern Mutual Agency Meeting ~ "Death Benefit Delivery: What Do I Do Now?" January 2011 ~ Collin County Council on Family Violence, Plano, TX ~ "The Specter of Disenfranchised Grief in Domestic Violence." I would love to speak in your community. In conjunction with the "Every Step Has a Story" event, I will speak to groups about the principles that drive such an effort and how those principles can infuse any business, educational institution, church or civic organization with renewed determination to move forward in tough times.

Awaken to Good Mourning ~ Bulk Purchase Discounts

Many groups and organizations have contacted me asking about bulk purchase discounts for Awaken to Good Mourning. Funeral homes, churches, life insurance agencies, colleges and others have discovered the value of having Awaken to Good Mourning available for their clients and members. Awaken Associates will offer the deepest bulk purchase discount on Awaken to Good Mourning to any individual or group through August 2010. Whether you purchase two or two hundred copies, the per copy prices will be $8. Contact us today for details. Our Price: $8.00 List Price:  $15.95 S & H: Included