Losing a loved one is a painful experience. The grieving stage is particularly the most difficult part of the process. If you know someone who has recently lost a family member or a friend, offering your presence and comforting them are the best ways you can do to show your support.
But, often, comforting someone about their loss is not as easy as it seems. You might be unsure whether your words can console or cause a grieving person to feel worse. To help you reassure a friend or family member in mourning, here are some of the most comforting words you can say to someone who is grieving.
“My favourite memory of your loved one is…”
Funerals are about the people who have departed, and it is best to focus on recalling and cherishing moments you had with the deceased. As such, you can talk about the best memories of the one who has passed when trying to comfort their grieving loved ones. Perhaps share about that one time the deceased made you laugh or bonded with you. In this way, their bereaved family members or friends would be comforted by the nostalgic stories you share.
“You and your loved ones will be in my prayers.”
Grieving over a lost loved one is an arduous and often long process. There is no quick way to move on from the loss of someone special. Often, instead of tangible action, the best way to comfort a person in grief can be with your words and prayers. Prayers, particularly, provide a strong sense of assurance and encouragement. Regardless of whether the person is religious, there is probably an added consolation in knowing that someone is thinking and praying for them and their departed loved one.
“I am always just a call away.”
During the grieving stage, some might want to be left alone to process their emotions. On the other hand, there are also others who prefer to have someone to help them manage their thoughts and feelings. For this reason, it is best to make yourself available for the time when the grieving person will need your help. One of the most helpful things you can do is to simply be there – let them know that you are always near with just a phone call away.
“It is okay to cry it out.”
You might have heard the words “be strong” being told to the bereaved family members during funeral services. Although intended as an act of encouragement, this phrase might not be the most appropriate for someone who is mourning. That is because losing a loved one is a painful process, and the bereaved would probably feel a mixture of challenging emotions.
Hence, the phrase “be strong” could be misleading; you might be suggesting that it’s fine to bottle up complex emotions. Instead, it might be better to reassure a grieving person that they can cry things out as crying is a normal reaction to grief.
Final Thoughts
Losing someone special can bring a lot of painful emotions to the bereaved family members and friends. If a person close to you has recently lost a loved one, it is best to comfort them with your presence and words.
Aside from your presence and words, helping a grieving person take care of the funeral service or finding a good funeral director is another way of showing your care and concern. Doing so can offload the duties they are carrying during this period. At Casket Fairprice, whether you are looking for a Christian, Taoist, or Buddhist funeral, we offer a variety of services to offer you a dignified funeral, one that is delivered with our utmost care and service.
