She thanks them for coming despite the snow, and is happy to see familiar faces in the crowd, as well as some new ones, too. She offers a special welcome to the newcomers. It’s never easy to come to a meeting, especially the first one, so they should pat themselves on the back, because they’ve done something really good for themselves tonight. She says they always joke that their group is the kind no one wants to be a part of but everybody joins, sooner or later. A light chuckle ripples through the crowd. If that doesn’t seem funny yet, she goes on, hang in there, bereavement humour can take some time to get.

Her tone changes slightly, as does her expression. Although grief is a natural part of life, she explains, most people aren’t prepared for it. The expectation is to put on a brave face and have the mettle to move on. People say life goes on. But it’s never that simple.

Ten years ago, Brenda tells them, her mother passed away, unexpectedly. Suddenly, the world was a different place and she didn’t know where she belonged anymore.

Fortunately, she smiles, she found this group and started coming to meetings every month. Little by little, she began processing her grief and understanding what grief actually was. By being among her peers, she learned that what she was going through, no matter how strange it seemed, was normal. She made friends and realized she wasn’t alone. That was when she really started healing. When she reached out for support and found what she needed. When she opened up, shared, and also received.

The group had such a profound impact on her that after about a year of attending meetings, she started volunteering. Later, she decided to train as a grief counsellor. Now, she helps others the way she was helped.

The purpose of the group, she tells them, is to create a network for those living with grief, so they can learn from one another and support each other through this natural, yet challenging, part of life. She encourages them to view their time here as an opportunity to talk and laugh and cry, or even just listen. Whatever they need. They are in a safe place.