"What a horrible burden it is on the grieving to have hanging over them the responsibility of responding to condolence letters if that is not what they feel will help them process and heal. I'm 60, and lost both my mother and my husband in recent years. Each time, the last thing I wanted to do was read other people's ideas about my loved ones."
"Many people agree with you that it is cruel to expect the bereaved to acknowledge letters of sympathy, and you are not likely to offend if you delay doing so. You could even delegate the task of conveying your appreciation to someone who offers to help. Even if you fail to respond in any way, people will understand. They will also understand that you want to isolate yourself, and with the best intentions, they will honor this and go on with their lives."
Grief is one of the toughest emotions to process, and grieving people should be allowed to grieve in the manner that best suits them. Some bereaved individuals prefer not to read or respond to condolence letters and may discard them unread without regret. Others find writing and sending sympathy notes helpful for their own processing. Those grieving can delay acknowledgment, delegate thank-you tasks, or choose not to respond, and most people will understand and honor a desire to isolate. At the same time, companionship and the knowledge that others appreciated the lost person can later provide comfort. Expressions of sympathy are offered out of sadness and care, not self-interest.
Read at www.mercurynews.com
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]