Today begins a national movement to make remembering loved ones as fun and joyful as a birthday party or wedding. Come join individuals across the country -- in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Atlanta, Minneapolis, among many other cities -- for a MEMORY BASH. Together, we'll celebrate and learn new ways to remember the family and friends we never want to forget.
What Is A Memory Bash?
A Memory Bash is an excuse to get together as a group -- eating, drinking, and having a great time -- while celebrating loved ones who have passed away in the company of others drawn to do the same. It's a joyful, innovative idea I write about in Passed and Present: Keeping Memories of Loved Ones Alive. There are Memory Bashes taking place coast to coast. Locations and times can be found by going to my website, www.allisongilbert.com. Even more information is available in this very short video.
Remembering Loved Ones Can Make You Happier
Why join the #MemoryBash movement? Remembering promotes healing and has the power to make you happier. Individuals who honor their connections to the past, who allow loved ones to remain present in their lives, almost always fare better emotionally than those who don't. Honoring past relationships has proven to have such significant restorative power that noted grief expert, J. William Worden, developed an entire bereavement-recovery theory about it. Worden has coined the term "tasks of mourning." This concept not only includes remembering as a mandatory tenet, but also underscores the obligation of mourners to take control of the process of remembering. The mourner "needs to take action," he explains.
Many scholars argue the same. Yet every written source I consulted before I wrote Passed and Present either didn't provide any specific guidelines for remembering, or failed to provide enough. So this is why I wrote the book. It fills a remarkable void. To my knowledge, it's the first book of its kind.
Join the #MemoryBash Movement!
The Memory Bash tour is not about me, the author, it's about you, the reader -- I want to hear about your loved ones and what made them so special, and the imprint they left on your heart, and on the world.
While I am taking the Memory Bash party on the road in lieu of a traditional book tour, a Memory Bash can be easily adapted for your home, church, synagogue, grief counseling center, hospice, or neighborhood community organization. In fact, I've created a "How to Host a Memory Bash" handbook with specific projects and guidelines for making these events as easy and meaningful as possible. The guide is free, and anyone can request a copy by emailing me. My email address is allisongilbert@allisongilbert.com. Please put "Memory Bash Guide" in the subject line.
Let's celebrate our loved ones together! Click here to see when a Memory Bash is coming to your town or city. If your town isn't listed, let me know and we'll work to add it as a stop.
I hope to see you very soon at a Memory Bash!