COMMUNITY NEWS - If we love, we will grieve

For generations, many of us have learned to experience grief quietly — to return home, close the door, and carry the weight of loss privately. But grief was never meant to be something we navigate alone.

Picnic Among Friends is an invitation to do grief differently. It offers a fresh perspective on loss by creating a safe and welcoming space where people can gather, remember, share stories, and honour the people they love.

Throughout much of human history, grief was communal. These days, we may come together for a funeral or memorial, there are often few ongoing opportunities to share memories, talk about our loved ones, and continue to acknowledge the impact of their lives.

Picnic Among Friends is a simple invitation to reclaim some of that connection. It is a space to sit alongside others and to recognise that grief is not something to “move on” from, but something we learn to carry with us.

Together, we can create a community where memories are celebrated, stories are shared, and an understanding that no one should have to grieve alone. Sunday, August 9, Bicentennial Park, Maleny (adjoining the Journey of Life Grief Garden). A Welcome to Country and a short, grounding ceremony will begin at 2pm.

Throughout the afternoon, there will be space for gentle, entirely optional participation, including instrumental music, thoughtful craft-making, a Memory Tree, and quiet corners for reflection.

Everyone is welcome exactly as they are. You are invited to bring along a picnic rug or chair, some nourishment, and a photo or memento of your person to place on the Tree.

Contact Bronwyn Lysaght at the Maleny Neighbourhood Centre on 0402 107 830 or via email at communitydw@malenync.org.au.To learn more about the broader movement of community-led end-of-life awareness, you can visit the Dying to Know Day Website.