HELENA — Family, friends, and loved ones are using Montana's nature to recognize the many forms of grief that come with parenting, the loss of a child, a pregnancy, or a dream that never came to be.
"Maybe they are honoring their little one by sending a boat out into the world, or maybe they are letting go of a tiny piece of grief or shame or guilt and letting it go down the river," said Maureen Bjerke, the Early Childhood Collaborative coordinator.
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For the past year, the Helena Early Childhood Collaborative has hosted loss events in different spaces to unite grieving parents.
Maureen was inspired to create a space for families through her own tragedy.
She says, "I lost my own son about 19 years ago, and I did not have spaces like this to go honor him."
On Sunday, loved ones gathered leaves, twigs, and bark to build boats to release into Ten Mile Creek.
The names of children were etched and drawn onto the bark as they set sail.
"I think there is a really healing power to nature and water specifically," Bjerke said. "And also holding space for people who maybe don't always have the opportunity to honor their kiddos that they don't get to hold every day."
The collaborative's next loss event will be held on August 20th and will be a craft time at the Lewis & Clark Library.
