There was a thought at the start of this project that maybe the setting would mean as much as the title. That the physical space would reflect the walker as much as the content. So walks took place in city centers, at sports arenas, in shopping malls for those who knew the ‘secret’ mall walker entrances. Our subseries, Meet Me on the Playground, was originally meant to meet school leaders on...you guessed it...the playgrounds of their schools. It was a fun idea to find another bit of connection or comfort within the piece, if also not a little extra and unnecessary. And while we didn’t abandon it completely, many times, we just met when and where we could, which also meant Liz took special trips on occasion, flying around the country even when it didn’t exactly match the travel schedule at hand. And then today, she walked with an old friend along Lake Tahoe, with sounds of the unending waves slapping against the shore in the distance, droplets separating briefly before reentering as one, and it feels like we’re ending this whole thing in about the most on-the-nose place yet.
Today, Liz walked with William Peters, the author of At Heaven’s Door and founder of the @sharedcrossingproject, and someone who has dedicated much of his life to compassionate care for others at the end of theirs. He talks about some of his early experiences with death, from his own injury to working in a hospice ward, and Liz speaks to his invaluable guidance during her own parents’ passing, particularly when it came to closing unfinished business and accepting the peace that came with it. They also talk about the general mindset around ‘fighting’ death and how a medical model based around framing the most predetermined thing in existence as a failure may need some adjustments.
Thank you. I love you. Goodbye.
What a remarkable conversation. Thanks for walking, William.
#WalkwithMe #WalkwithLiz #GENed #Parenting #Leadership #LearningDifferences #Inspiring #SharedCrossingProject #AtHeavensDoor #SharedDeathExperience #Healing #Hope #Love #Harvard #Friendship #Compassion

The home stretch continues to...stretch...the official Walk count for this project. Again, maybe it's the first season, maybe the first iteration, we're not completely sure. But considering this project seemed to begin with a bit of a blank slate, it's fitting to end with something similarly murky. It sure has worked for us so far! And, to be fair, it's not for lack of planning or outlining and certainly not for lack of steps, but instead it's changed our outlook. Much like a comedian struggling to experience mundanity without finding the funny, we've begun struggling to find impactful people or have impactful conversations without sharing the story. As Liz says, sometimes, 'I don't really know why some of them were involved...yet we're standing in the midst of a conversation and I knew it had to be part of the series.'

Today is one of those stories. Inspiring, connected experiences shared among friends Monica Williams and Carolyn Greenfield, worthy of being shared with others. They walk and talk about aging and how it fits in with modern culture, from social media to medical IEPs, and how the 'Crone Stage' is one of the most beautifully overlooked phases of life.

Thanks for Walking, Monica and Carolyn.

#WalkwithMe #WalkwithLiz #GENed #Parenting #Leadership #LearningDifferences #Inspiring #CroneStage #Crone #Aging #Wisdom #Healthcare #COVID #Jewelry #Passion #HumanDoing

*BONUS WALK WEEK!*

That's right. Fifty schfifty. We're powering right through, though we do have an endpoint in mind. We're coming up on a calendar year since the very first release and we're closing things out with a similar cadence as we began. So, for the next couple of weeks, you'll have a couple of walks to enjoy. Then, in the weeks after that, we'll talk about what's next.

Speaking of mirroring the beginning, today we have a close friend and confidant and someone who Liz has asked for advice on more than one occasion, Jon (JD) Grandstaff. Someone who prides himself on gift giving, personally and professionally, in a unique kind of way...by seeing something in plain sight that others may not see in themselves, or...their companies. Sound familiar? Talk about another theme for these Walks.

But JD's gift is not just meant for clients, but also for those the clients then serve. It's the byproduct of a life spent finding heart hidden in the data, speaking with steady, sometimes brutal honesty, and believing we're all part of the team if we all know the goal.

Thanks for walking, JD. And thanks for being that (tall) lighthouse in the storm.

#WalkwithMe #WalkwithLiz #GENed #Parenting #Leadership #LearningDifferences #Inspiring #Friendship #WritersBlock #Storytelling #Insurance #Lighthouse #Gift