A Swirl of Emotions—When someone dies, people often feel many different feelings—sadness, anger, relief, confusion, and many more…. Your friend or family member may feel sad one day and angry the next, or scared and alone and full of guilt one after the other throughout one day, or even sad and relieved at the same time.
They Want To Remember—Talking about the person who died can be comforting—even if they cry as they do it.
Drained of Energy—When a person is grieving, usually their energy level is lower than normal.
They Need Support—It does matter if you go to the funeral home, even if you don’t know what to say—your presence is what means a great deal.Feelings That Last—The feelings of grief will come and go for your friend for a long time—usually much longer than you expect.
Many Layers of Complexity—Besides missing the person who died, your friend is surrounded by others whom he or she loves and who are grieving too—adding to his or her confusion and sadness.
Remember, what you say or do isn’t as important as just being there for your friend or family member when they have lost someone they love - especially if they lose a child - no matter the age. Yes - it's difficult, but being there for them can and will make a big difference in how they feel.
- Be There
- Be there to listen if they want to talk about the person who died.
- Be there to sit with them even when they don’t feel like talking.
- Be there to offer a hug when they need it.
- Be there—visit, call, send an e-mail, a text message or a card, invite them somewhere.
- Be there and just be yourself.
- Be There
“A real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out.”
From: The Highmark Caring Foundation - A center for Grieving Children, Adolescents and their families www.highmarkcaringplace.com
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