We welcomed 3 new bereaved parents to the group this month who had found the strength after a number of years being bereaved to come and talk and seek some support and mutual understanding from the other parents attending.

We opened the meeting with the poem  from the book “Catching the light” by Genesee Bourdeau Gentry titled “Winter into Spring in Grief’s garden ”   which spoke about how we change and grow as bereaved parents, how over time things change and that some even blossom within their grief . This sparked conversation about how grief had changed us in our day to day life, how we had developed routines and mini rituals to help us cope with our losses. These rituals may include visiting a place regularly, creating a space to display items, lighting candles e or just saying good night to our children every night .  How objects once with no or little value become the most precious things we own and how many of us carry these  with us in the shape of jewellery or photos.

A successful and open meeting with everyone sharing thoughts and for people who this was  their first meeting the subjects were varied (and a little randon at time) but all linked to how we feel and experience life as bereaved parents. Tears were shed a long with the laughter , tea biscuits and buckets of  understanding

The next meeting will be Thursday 15th March – any bereaved parent welcome.