Walking for mental health awareness in AD #FromDarknessIntoLight @PietaHouse #DILAbuDhabi

No posts for so long! But I'm going to try to get you up to date.

A few weekends ago I participated in this amazing event called Darkness into Light. It began in Dublin, Ireland to support Pieta House, an organization that works for mental health awareness and suicide prevention. It has spread over the last few years to numerous cities around the world.




Emma spent the night and Darlene came over at 3:30. Attendees gathered at 4 a.m. for speeches and awareness about mental health issues, then walked 5 km in the heart of Abu Dhabi as the sun came up. It was amazing to be with so many people coming together for a good cause, especially one that is so close to my heart. I have lost several students and several more friends to suicide and I found myself crying as I listened to the speakers. The Irish Ambassador to the UAE spoke as well.

I felt comforted by the familiar sights and sounds of an early morning event. The air was really cool (like 80 degrees!) and not humid. The sky gradually turned from black to the blue you can see below to the sun coming up on the horizon. Afterwards we went to a lovely part of town that, if you only loo down the one street, slightly resembles a European city like Dublin or Prague or Paris.
 One can dream, can't they?


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