When you’re missing someone who died, you don’t want to hear that food is “to die for” or be told your life will be incomplete if you don’t make a particular meal “before you die.”Such phrases highlight
Hello, again. You might have noticed the July to April gap in new posts onWhat to Say When Someone Dies. Years ago, I first started writing content for this grief support website within three days of my husband’s unexpected death, although I didn’t know at the time that’s what I ...
There are still some phrases you will want to avoid saying in your card. Things like “I know how you feel”, “at least they lived a long life”, “you need to be strong” etc. These are all inappropriate and not the sort of thing to say to someone grieving. As has been said ...
Acknowledge the Child’s Loss: Often, a parent’s grief overshadows that of a child’s. Take the time to acknowledge that the child has suffered a major loss and that their grief matters. This can be as simple as expressing your condolences in person. Allow the Child to Talk: For many...
Not everyone is grieved in a big, formal way. Although most families hold some sort of memorial service when a loved one dies, there are times when there...
“Treat [your friend] as you would treat anybody you care about who is grieving and in pain.” So, offer your condolences. Attend the funeral if you can. Send flowers and a handwritten note. “All of these acknowledge that something really tragic has happened for the person, and it ...
However, if you already know and love someone with Down's syndrome, you will have a sense that this is not the end of the world, that you will gently guide and support this family. So what do you say and do? Before Natty was born I had never been in this position in my life.....
greatest number of people. This feeling of urgency has been multiplied 100-fold in the last two months, as several close friends have died in accidents no one saw coming. Life is fucking short. Put another way: a long life is far from guaranteed. Nearly everyone dies before they’re ...
Whether the loss is recent or “old,” whether the survivor is someone you know well or only know “of,” whether you reach out to children who’ve lost a parent or to a parent who’s lost a child,do something to show you care....
The first Thanksgiving after someone dies (and the second and the third and the next and the next …) is harder than you can imagine if you haven’t yet lost a loved one. Like so much of living with loss, the absence throbs. Traditions might serve as lifelines to keep mourners steady...