You Are Not Alone
Compassion is often our first and most natural response when it comes to bereavement and loss, especially loss we can give a name to. Something discernible that from the outside is easy to understand. Easy to put into words.
As helpers we should take the initiative and make contact. An Funeral Home staff are ready to take the initiative. The first thing is to reach out, establish contact and be there. Don’t worry about what you’re going to say or do. Just be yourself. The gift of presence is most important to people in grief.
What is grief ?
Grief is an emotional response to a significant loss. Our grief response is a unique blending of numerous emotions.
People in grief, not understanding this emotional explosion they may be experiencing, often think they are going crazy. They aren’t! They are normal. You may not be a doctor or a psychologist, but if you can help people to see they are normal in their feelings of grief, you will bring the best medicine.
The grieving process
Always remember that Grief Takes Time. Not everyone goes through the same process, and none at the identical pace. We can’t fix people or try to make their decisions for them, or try to set the pace for their journey. But we can be with them. We can walk alongside and let them know they are not alone. They have a friend, and they will be thankful for that and for us. We will have made a difference in someone’s life.
Helping yourself heal
It is OK to cry. The significance of a funeral is to celebrate the life of the living. Realization of the death of our loved ones is the first step of actualizing that death is real. Being strong, having a strong social support with your family and friends, giving yourself time to grieve are all important factors in helping yourself heal.
Accepting a loss
We need to let the person know it is OK to grieve. To say that they must be strong, or that life must go on, or even to quickly change the subject to something more cheerful, gives the message that the grief and the feelings are not acceptable to us.
We Are Here For You