Dear ODC Community,
Our friend and ODC member Evan Denison passed away this Sunday in Pennsylvania. Their absence is felt deeply and widely across our club and among all those who knew Evan. Whether they were backpacking, caving, hiking, picnicking, bonfiring, or spoon carving Evan was always so present (and barefoot if possible). Evan was a wonderful soul and spread so much light, wisdom, and joy to the people’s lives he touched. We miss him so much already. Please do not hesitate to reach out to the officers or connect with the resources linked below as we experience this loss together.
We want to welcome you to share memories, stories, and photos of Evan on this online community board or in the GroupMe when it feels right to do so.
Community board (thanks to Evelyn for the set-up): https://recocards.com/board/oth-evan-58916194684
A link to our GroupMe if you have yet to join: https://groupme.com/join_group/93789654/GR2ZKbPK
More on Evan, a Humans of UVA post from November: https://www.instagram.com/p/Ckdh9_-OuOW/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
I would also like to offer a poem and an invitation. The poem is a reminder that although we may be far away from each other or feel alone, we are all wondering some of the same difficult things. The invitation is to join me wherever you are in the world in walking barefoot for a little bit this evening as Evan did so often around grounds. Walk, call your loved ones, cry, dance, read, sit, do what calls to you in that moment and know that we are with you.
What You Missed That Day You Were Absent from Fourth Grade
Written by Brad Aaron Modlin
Mrs. Nelson explained how to stand still and listen
to the wind, how to find meaning in pumping gas,
how peeling potatoes can be a form of prayer. She took
questions on how not to feel lost in the dark
After lunch she distributed worksheets
that covered ways to remember your grandfather’s
voice. Then the class discussed falling asleep
without feeling you had forgotten to do something else—
something important—and how to believe
the house you wake in is your home. This prompted
Mrs. Nelson to draw a chalkboard diagram detailing
how to chant the Psalms during cigarette breaks,
and how not to squirm for sound when your own thoughts
are all you hear; also, that you have enough.
The English lesson was that I am
is a complete sentence.
And just before the afternoon bell, she made the math equation
look easy. The one that proves that hundreds of questions,
and feeling cold, and all those nights spent looking
for whatever it was you lost, and one person
add up to something.
Peace, love, and dirt,
Ed & the Officers
Resources:
https://studentaffairs.virginia.edu/system/files/Tips-Cope-with-Grief.pdf
https://studentaffairs.virginia.edu/system/files/CAPS_Questions-Grief.pdf