Messages of condolence

EXPRESSING CONDOLENCES AND OFFERING COMFORT

Sad news arrives without warning. Sometimes it is expected, often it is sudden, but the loss of a loved one leaves an eternal mark on each of us. Therefore, during their moments of greatest pain, the bereaved need support through expressions of sympathy and comfort. This is the least you can do, especially in situations where you are unsure how they are coping with their new circumstances. Family and friends will gather at the home of the deceased to grieve together and handle the protocols of the funeral. Although everyone experiences grief and pain in their own way, your warm words and sincere empathy will provide an additional pillar of support—understanding is exactly what a grieving person needs to help their emotional wounds heal faster. Knowing they are not alone in their tragedy is vital. Even if you were not particularly close to the deceased or their family, expressing condolences is a matter of proper etiquette and a social norm that should be respected.

While sending a telegram was once the most common way to offer sympathy, today there are many more mediums available. It is a beautiful custom to write a letter by hand or a sympathy card, which you can personalize and send by mail or courier. Along with your words of comfort, you can add a symbolic gift such as flowers, a religious symbol, or a memorial book, all of which can be found in our Offer. If you are a good listener and know the bereaved well, a telephone call is an appropriate way to express sympathy. This also allows you to receive feedback on how they are coping and offer concrete help, such as transportation, preparing meals, grocery shopping, or picking up children from daycare or school. Likewise, you will learn if the bereaved prefers solitude and does not wish to receive visitors.

Sending SMS messages, emails, and using applications like Viber and WhatsApp has also become a traditional way of expressing condolences. These platforms are convenient, especially for communication across great distances. However, regardless of the cost of a phone call, always keep in mind that it is much warmer and more sincere to hear someone’s voice and feel their soothing tone than to exchange messages through a screen. Therefore, be mindful in their use and extremely gentle in your communication; above all, be honest. The content of your message is far more important than its form.

Social media has become a window to the world through which we share various details of our lives. We have often seen grieving fans leave messages for the families of their idols on their pages, or post statuses dedicated to the deceased with quotes, verses, or photographs. While this has become common for public figures, it is not appropriate for the private tragedies of our family members, friends, colleagues, or acquaintances. Respecting intimacy is mandatory and should be treated the same as in the physical world. This means you should not show up at someone’s door immediately upon hearing the news or call the bereaved while inconsolable and in tears. Be aware of the delicacy of the moment and provide support in a dignified manner through a careful choice of words and unobtrusive help, only if the other party consents. Allow everyone to process their pain in their own way, both in their immediate surroundings and in the digital world.

While you will create the best and most beautiful messages yourself based on your relationship with the deceased and their family, here are a few short and long examples to serve as inspiration. Supplement them with personal details to provide the necessary sense of closeness.

Examples:

• Please accept my sincere condolences for your loss. Our thoughts and prayers are with you.

• We deeply empathize with your pain and pray that the soul of [Name] finds peace and serenity.

• May angels watch over [Name] in heaven, and may those on earth find comfort in this irreplaceable loss. Please accept our deepest sympathy.

• You are in my thoughts and prayers; the grief is too great to carry alone.

• May faith in eternal life comfort us in these difficult moments.

• Allow me to express my sincere condolences for your loss. It was an honor to know [Name] and to be a part of their life.

• In these sad moments, we sympathize with you. We will remember [Name] forever, for our lives would never be the same without their kindness, love, and trust. Our thoughts and hearts are with you.

• Because of [Name], this world is a better place today. We know it is hard to find comfort in your grief, but you are in our thoughts and prayers at every moment. If we can ease your pain in any way or help with daily tasks, we are at your disposal.

• I am still as saddened as the moment I learned that [Name] is no longer with us. I sincerely empathize with your loss, for [Name] was not just my friend; she was an incredible woman and a role model to many. I am proud she was part of my life, as she will continue to be until we meet in a better place.