THIS IS HOPE: THE TIES BETWEEN US

By: Kaylene Ashbridge, School Bereavement Liaison

I was thinking back on the year at Billy’s Place and while there are so many moments that stand out, I spent some time remembering our “Kai’s Journey” Kids Kicking Back Night that we held this fall. We held a camp-in and listened to “The Golden Sweater” and “The Girl with the Locket,” both stories published by the New York Life Foundation abut various aspects of grief that children may encounter. Our kids wrote their own stories about their grief experiences, too. 

I was so moved by these stories they wrote. And I was brought to tears watching everyone as they listened to “Kai’s Journey.” The kids were so quiet and listened intently. You could have heard a pin drop. 

It got me thinking about what made this story-sharing experience so impactful for the kids. All of our kids share a common experience: feeling the loss of their loved one and figuring out how to manage their grief journey.

Everyone was just as quiet and respectful as some of the kids volunteered to share their own stories. And look at that room! The kiddos were so brave to speak in front of everyone. And it was an amazing outlet for their voices to be heard. 

There is pain and their is beauty, and on this day especially, I saw first-hand the comfort that there is in having someone else nearby who gets it.