Finding a meaningful gift can be overwhelming. Finding meaningful words for someone grieving can be hard. I would guess that 50% of the Blessing Beads® we ship are grief gifts. I am honored to make gifts that can offer comfort during sickness, loss, and hardship. But what do you say? Well, I asked my grief counselor friend, Sarah Collins from Cultivate Counseling, and here is the wonderful advice she shared with me.
Acknowledgement
The most important thing in grief support is acknowledgement of another person's loss/loved one. So, I think it can be really meaningful to send a simple message like:
"Please know that you and [loved one's name] are remembered by me"
"Let these blessing beads serve as a reminder that you and [name] are never far from my prayers."
Other messages that I think can be helpful are:
"Holding you close in thought and prayer"
"Keeping you close to heart and mind"
"May you see the face of God in all who offer you comfort at this time"
And, I certainly don't think one can go wrong with...
"I'm so sorry for your loss."
Comfort
One of my favorite grief/loss experts/resources is Megan Devine and her work through Refuge in Grief. One of her quotes is "Grief is love in its wildest form". I think this can be comforting to people in some cases. The idea that their grief is the continuation of their love for that person after death, even if it may feel "wild" or consuming. Another is Glennon Doyle's saying that "Grief is love's souvenir". I think this is another nice reminder of the way that grief and love are not separate but rather interconnected.
Memory
This phrase comes from the Jewish tradition, and I think it's so beautiful:
"May [his/her/their] memory be a blessing."
(this last part is me and and I am not a counselor so take it or leave it!) I particularly love this Jewish phrase. In loss, the fear of losing the memory of a person and can be scary and sad. Not talking about the loss or person lost is not helpful! Share memories, use their name, and don't be afraid to talk about the loss. Sharing memories helps people keep their loved one alive in their memory.
We all want to provide comfort in times of sorrow but knowing how to show up can be overwhelming. I hope this helps!