By Dominique Tassell
A local has highlighted the importance of community and spending time in nature for getting through tough times.
Bob Redbath recently attended the wildflower walk on Sunday 19 September, organised by the Stanthorpe Rare Wildflower Consortium.
He says roughly 50-60 people also attended the walk through the Broadwater State Forest just north west of Stanthorpe.
He says it was something new for him, and “it was brilliant”.
Bob says he met so many people and was able to have a chat and enjoy some time in nature.
Unfortunately, later that night Bob received some bad news.
“Having completed the walk I got some news from overseas that someone really close to me had passed from Covid,” he says.
He learnt that a 24 year old school teacher, a “beautiful young lady”, had passed.
Bob says the news was devastating, but having been on the walk helped him cope.
“If I hadn’t gone on the walk I probably would have been a mess,” he says.
Bob says being around “beautiful people” helped him, but it was a good experience to balance against “really really bad news”.
He says it helped to “provide a counterbalance” and give him something good to appreciate.
Bob says he “100 per cent recommends the wildflower walk”.
“I enjoyed my morning walk, and it helped to deal with devastating news that night”.
“The timing of the walk was good.
“When we’re grieving, go for a walk.”
Headspace says taking time to think about how you’re handling tough times is really important.
Having options for handling tough times is important, and can include:
• use art, music or journaling to express yourself
• spend time in nature
• set some small goals, and get help seeing them through
• talk kindly to yourself
• websites and free apps that can help
The next wildflower walk will be held on Sunday 17 October through Girraween National Park.
