Before or after cremation services Waite Hill, OH, you can send a bereavement message to a grieving friend or family member who has recently lost a loved one. It is a long-tested way of showing your empathy and care for the bereaved.
But the issue is that many people face difficulty in crafting a balanced and meaningful condolence message, especially if the message is to people whom you’ve never met. This angst often leads to procrastination, or not offering condolences at all.
Truth is, writing a perfect condolence message offering your support and help is easier than you think it is, and here’s how you do it.
How to Start
First things first, writing the first few lines is probably the most difficult part of composing a condolence message. The key is not to dwell on the message, instead focus on task completion. You may craft your message on scrap paper if you’re unsure about what to write.
Start by offering your condolences by mentioning the deceased’s name. Tell the recipient of the message how sorry and sad you’re at their loss and ensure your unconditional support to them. Phrases like “I am so sorry to hear about your loss…”, “I am devastated hearing the news that …”, or” I am deeply saddened to hear the news of …”
If you’re writing to a family member, begin with “Dear” and should mention the name of every family member.
Mention Good Qualities
After the first couple of lines, mention some positive traits of the deceased. Talking about the good qualities of the lost loved that had a far-reaching influence on you, your organization, and/or the community provides a tremendous amount of comfort and solace to the bereaved.
Begin sentences with words like “he was so kind…; he was so polite…; he always used to help…; By all accounts, he was…” and end the section with, “I wish I had known his better; or Gone but never forgotten”
In this part, you can use a lighter tone of writing and can share happy and cherished moments spent with the deceased. The bereaving family loves to hear about stories of the loved one and find a great deal of comfort in it. But if you didn’t have such moments together, jotting down the deceased’s positive qualities will suffice.
Mention the Funeral
It’s recommended to write the condolence message soon after hearing the tragic news. Moving to action within the first is the best thing you could do; else, the sooner, the better. It will give you a chance to mention whether or not you’ll be able to make it to the funeral – if you’re invited.
In case, you can’t attend the funeral, write something like “Please accept my deepest apologies for not being able to attend the services.”
End on Positive Terms
End the condolence message with something like, “With love, with caring thoughts, with sympathies…”, to mention a few.
What Else to Mention
- Don’t shy from expressing your emotions and feelings
- Offer support to them – both financially and emotionally
- Don’t share jokes or humorous stories or use a funny tone
- Avoid saying things like, “They are in a better place or “It was all God’s plan”
Cremation services Waite Hill, OH, may spark intense emotions.