Visiting a funeral home to attend a service provides you with an opportunity to give support to the grieving family, both verbally and simply through your presence. Using the written word is a third effective way to lend a shoulder, and while there's nothing wrong with sending a sympathy note to the family's home up to a week after you learn of the death, you can also visit the funeral home, like Brinsfield-Echols Funeral Home, with a thoughtfully worded card. Writing a sympathy note doesn't have to be difficult, but it does require a little care to avoid your words sounding cliched.
The Basics
Don't get caught up in the belief that your sympathy note must be long. It's perfectly acceptable for your message of support to be just a few sentences in length, according to The Emily Post Institute. At the least, write a sentence that expresses your condolences and add another in which you share a memory of the person who has passed. Wrap up the note by telling the family that you'll keep everyone in your thoughts. For example, the body of your note could be as simple as, "I'm so sorry to hear about Jonathan's death. I'll always remember his big smile and genuine care for his family. Please know I'll be thinking of you during this challenging time."
Offer Some Help
A sympathy note is also an ideal place to offer some help to the grieving family. The best expressions of assistance are those that are specific. Instead of saying to let you know if you can help, specifically offer to drop off some food at the family's home, take care of the children while the parents tend to the deceased's affairs or ask if you can perform simple, everyday tasks such as buying groceries, taking a child to soccer practice or even mowing the lawn. A specific offer of assistance shows the family that you're serious about lending a hand, and makes it easier for the family to ask you for help.
Watch Your Wording
Skipping the use of cliches can help your sympathy note feel more genuine, but you should also be careful about using phrases that might be slightly hurtful. There's no need to get into discussing the death, nor should you say you know what the family is going through. Other sentiments that are best to avoid include saying that the deceased person is in a better place, that the family will feel better in time and that everything happens for a reason.
Share13 May 2015
When someone that you love passes away, it isn't always easy to focus on creating a lovely event for your friends and family members. Unfortunately, when it comes to holding a nice memorial service, it is important to know how to stay calm and organized—even during stressful times. I have worked in the funeral industry for a long time, and I know what it takes to create a beautiful funeral. This website will teach you everything you need to know to plan a funeral service. In addition to teaching you how to write a eulogy and how to choose great flowers, you might even learn how to save money on the next service you have to plan.