Tips for Writing Words of Comfort and Sympathy

Those in mourning experience turbulent times and appreciate the right words of sympathy to ease their troubled hearts. You may be having issues in your own life or sharing in the grieving process and having trouble finding the right words that can express the empathy and sadness that you feel. If this is where you find yourself, you can go to www.ObituariesHelp.org to help you with writing a sympathy card or letter.

The web site www.ObituariesHelp.org has examples of condolences if you are having trouble writing words of sympathy if it is your first time, or even if you have written words of sympathy in the past. If you have experienced a loss of someone dear to you, you know that there isn’t a simple antidote that can make you feel better. It is often said that time will make the loss easier to handle, but time is something that is hard to express in words.

Reasons for Writing Sympathy Words

You may want to express your sympathy to the grieving person at the funeral or grave site, but this is not recommended. When speaking to someone in these situations, you will have no time to prepare what you want to say and may be difficult to do as you may be grieving as well. By writing a note rather than engaging in conversation, you have the time to write out what you want to say and can carefully construct your sympathy words and then review them when you are done. This way, you can make sure that you are truly expressing your feelings to the person in mourning and assuring them that you share in their grief.

When writing words of sympathy, you need to keep in mind that what you say should be sincere and from the heart as lack of sincerity is easy to detect. If you are having trouble coming up with the right words, put yourself in their shoes and try to figure out what you find the most comforting. You should also consider the person to whom you are writing; he or she may be so grief-stricken that a simply note to say that you are thinking of them may be sufficient. Just stay away from going overboard with your sympathy message; let the person know that you share in their grief and are available to help them at any time.

Hopefully, you knew the person who passed away to have shared an experience that you can mention in your letter to the bereaved. Positive memories of someone can be a good means of consolation, helping the bereaved to remember the good times, particularly if the passing was caused by a long illness.

Sympathy Letter Sample

Below is an example of a short letter of sympathy. Although there is somewhat of a template that one can follow in writing such a letter, make sure that you use your own words and phrases so your letter doesn’t sound like it was copied. This letter is a guide to make it easier for you when you may be mourning as well.

Dear Friend,

I am sure it is difficult to completely understand how you must feel after the loss of your brother, but it has saddened me greatly and I do know that we can make it through this time in our lives as long as our friendship enables us to stick together.

We grew up together, you, your brother and me, and he was like a brother to me as well. If you remember, the three of us would go on fishing trips to Windy Creek, biking out there and then catching a few fish out of the water. Your brother taught me how to bait a hook and drop the line, just like an older brother would. I know we were young but spending those few hours every weekend made us feel like bass fishing professionals.

Your brother’s death may be difficult to accept but regardless of how long or short life is, death is a natural part of life. Your brother left us too soon but there is always a reason for everything. He experienced a very difficult sickness but knowing that he is no longer in pain can be a comfort to us all.

Losing a family member is always difficult but your brother’s death seems hard for me as well. If we grieve together, I truly believe we can overcome this turbulent time in our lives and be better for the experience.

Your friend forever.

Writing Your Words of Sympathy by Hand

When you write your words of sympathy in sympathy letter or card, you are showing the grieving person that you are sincere in your words, and you are truly thinking of that person. When you type the words, they do not mean the same or have the same impact as those words that are written from the heart by hand If you are unsure of what to say, you can go to www.ObituariesHelp.org and copy a sample sympathy letter by hand to express your feelings to the grieving person.