The Compassionate Friends (TCI) National Convention

My son, Josh and I attended the Portland, OR National Convention of TCI. TCI is the largest support network for families who have lost a child to any cause. It seemed that there were at least 1000 in attendance at this conference. While grief is omnipresent at such a large convention, so are stories of inspiration, hope, and courage. Images of children of all ages who have died are everywhere. We even wear the pictures of them on our clothes as buttons and pictured on our name tags. Josh and I presented twice on the topic of sport and spirit. It was our goal to make the connection between the attributes that athletes possess, which in turn can bolster the spirits of those who mourn. Perseverance, and suffering to a degree, exist in both instances. First we spoke with a group of adults, many of whom were athletes. In the second session we spoke with mostly young adult siblings, a much smaller group. They too were primarily athletes. I believe we gave the attendees something to think about and I hope to hear from some of the them. In the end, I would say it is very difficult to pack up these keepsakes (memories, pictures, and stories) and move back into the real world where most people, even family and friends, may not feel comfortable in conversation with you and your grief.