Autumn Baby Loss Memorial Events
Why attend a memorial event? You can remember and celebrate your child. You can be vulnerable and open with your emotions in a non-judgemental environment. You can find community in the presence of others who have also lost a child. You can create mementos and keepsakes. You can find support and resources to help you along the journey of grief. For a list of baby walks and events, please visit the Resources page. Here are a few updates of memorial events for my home city of Edmonton: Walk to Remember, Edmonton This event is not happening in 2014. It is unclear from the website if this is a one-year hiatus or if the event has concluded permanently. Baby Steps Memorial Walk Also, find Baby Steps on Facebook. Date: Saturday, October 4, 2014 Time: 2pm Click...
Read MoreA Miscarriage and Baby Loss Campaign by Today’s Parent Magazine
I was in Toronto this week to be interviewed by the lovely ladies at Today’s Parent Magazine. They are releasing a hugely important campaign to support those who have experienced the death of a child. I commend Today’s Parent for tackling this challenging and taboo subject – and also for giving me the opportunity to share Zachary’s story. I am passionate about dispelling the silence and loneliness around this type of loss with the goal of connecting people, both men and women, in a caring and compassionate community. As I often do when I retell my family’s story, I cried and smeared my make-up during the interview. I still get choked up every now and then, even after almost four years, but I’m okay with my emotions these days. I accept them as a beautiful part of...
Read MoreGrieving Children of All Ages: Reflections on the Walk to Remember, Chicago
My husband Aaron and I recently attended a Walk to Remember in Chicago as a part of The Compassionate Friends of America National Conference. (I will write more about the conference and the workshop I presented, Healing through Visual Art, in upcoming blog posts.) Something different about The Compassionate Friends, their conference and Walk from what I have previously experienced is their focus on the loss of children – and siblings – of all ages. Sometimes I get very stuck in my own experience of losing a baby that I don’t always reflect on the parents who lose an older or even adult child. I do frequently think about my living children and fear for their safety, but to be honest up until this conference I had not contemplated at length all the grieving...
Read MoreHealing Workshops, Update
I am pleased to announce that I will be presenting “Healing through the Written Word” and “Healing through Visual Art” at The 2014 International Conference on Stillbirth, SIDS and Baby Survival. Here is the conference information: Date: September 18 – 21, 2014 Location: Royal Tropical Institute (KIT) Amsterdam, The Netherlands To register, click here. To see other conferences where I will be speaking, please visit Public Speaking & Teaching on Wanted Chosen Planned. If you or your organization would like to arrange a workshop or presentation, please email info@alexismariechute.com or phone 780-499-4311. Media bookings can also be made with Gal Friday Publicity at rachel@gal-fridaypublicity.com or by calling 604-366-7846....
Read MoreBleeding Hearts
I received a lovely email the other day from my mother-in-law. This is what she said: Hi Alexis Marie, I was out in my garden today, and the tulip I planted in Zachary’s honor after ‘Walk To Remember’ a couple years ago is in full bloom. But this year it is coming up with a shrub I had planted last year and it is in bloom at the same time. The name of the shrub – Bleeding Heart. Very special to me, and I know it would be to you as well. Love, Mom The bleeding heart. What a perfect picture of the grieving parent. For a long time I felt the jagged edges of what I could only describe as a broken heart but recently I was reading a book that used other symbolism to represent parental bereavement. Such symbols included a tea pot and a cracked nut, both able to hold...
Read MoreLiving with an Open Hand
This is the speech I gave last weekend at the May Memorial, Remembering Our Losses. I hope it will be an encouragement. OPEN HAND Of all the many lessons I’ve learned in my life, there is one in particular that stands out. The lesson: live with an open hand. Living with an open hand is like holding a butterfly. It means not squeezing too tightly to what we want, to what we love; otherwise it may be crushed between our fingers. Instead, we can open our hands and let that which we desire stay however long it wishes. If it goes, it may return if we remain open, but there is also the chance it will not come back. Living openly like this means being grateful for what we have for however long we have it. In happy times, this lesson sounds easy, but throughout...
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