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Inspirational Messages
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My mother
Judy, passed away in 1993 from ovarian cancer
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♥
May the
love of your friends and family surround you and fill your
heart as you journey down this new road. It has been 16 years
since my mom passed away and I know that the road ahead will
bring you many ups and downs but know that your mom's love and
presence will always be with you. Be sure to be kind and
gentle with yourself. Sending you and your family lots of warm
hugs.
Lori Pederson
♥ I am very sorry
to hear of your mother's passing away. I was glad to
have met her. Know that my thoughts are with you.
Be gentle with yourself.
Love & Strength, G.K.
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♥ Please call if
you want to talk, or bitch about annoying family members who
don't do anything, or if you want to share stories about
funeral directors, making arrangements, eating sandwiches
every day for what seems to be months- Having to make small
talk with people whom you have never seen before, but they
remember you when you were a baby, and finding yourself in
the back of the room in the funeral home thanking everyone
from coming to this event. Just like you are in event
planning auto pilot. I nearly expected to be reading
evaluation forms at the end of the ordeal. Anyhow- I
just wanted to tell you that I've been thinking about you
and hope you are doing ok. Take Care and Take Some
Time For Yourself. C.S
♥I can
only imagine how difficult this has been, and my heart goes out to you
and your family. You are
so young to have to suffer such an incredible loss and while time is a
healer, I know that’s of little consolation now.
♥ Know that you have many, many friends who love and care about you.
If you need anything I am only a phone call away.
K.P.
♥ I’ve been thinking
about what you must be going through, and it seems that we can’t
truly understand what you’re going through until we face the same
situation. But I am ready
to help in any way that I can. E.R.
♥ My thoughts are with
you. Take Care and think
of me if you need a smile.
M.L
♥ I never know what to
say in letters like this, as my experience with family loss is
limited. Yet, if I were in
your situation, I’d take comfort in the thought that people’s
prayers and thoughts are with me.
Rest assured mine are with you.
T.L.
♥ I just wanted
you to know that I have been thinking about you all week, and
I will keep you in my prayers.
Love, S.L
♥ I am so sorry for
your loss, and I wish I had something wonderful to say to make you
feel better. Please know that I'm willing to help you out however I
can during this difficult time. I'd love to bring your family dinner
or take you out for coffee if you ever need to talk to someone.
♥ I'm so sorry for your
loss. I really respect you as a friend and as a professional, and I
know your dad must have had a role in making you the great person
you are.
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How to Support Someone Who has Lost a Parent |
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ö
Understand that no matter what the age of the
person, the loss of a parent can be difficult and can be one of the most
significant losses in their life.
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ö
Remember that children may need a different kind
of support after the loss of a parent, than an adult.
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ö Listen,
Listen, Listen. One of the most important things you can do is to make
yourself available and truly listen.
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ö In the early stages of grief the
bereaved can forget to eat. Having meals handled by someone else will
encourage the family to eat regularly. Be sure to ask if the family has
any dietary restrictions, food allergies or favorite foods they would
like you to prepare. |
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ö Take out their trash, wash their
dishes, clean their house, go grocery shopping, take their
dog for a walk, wash
their car, mow their lawn, take the kids to school, wash their clothes,
etc. Taking care of everyday tasks can allow the family time to grieve
and handle the many responsibilities of planning a funeral and
readjusting their lives. |
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ö Remember that holidays, birthdays,
Father’s Day, Mother’s Day, family celebrations and the anniversary of
the person’s death can be difficult, particularly the first year.
Sending a card, invite them to join you for the holidays or make a phone
call during these special times lets your loved one know they are not
alone. |
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ö Help them put together a memory
book of pictures and
mementos of the parent that passed away. Ask friends and family to
contribute to the memory book by sharing their personal stories about
the parent that passed away. This will give them a chance to connect
with the special times they spent with their mom or dad and will
encourage them to talk about their feelings. |
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ö Pamper them, hug them, love them,
and take special care of them. Remind them that although they have lost
a loved one, they still have family and friends that love them.
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What Not to Say to
Someone Who has Lost a Parent
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ö Your mother
(father) lived a long life, you shouldn’t be sad.
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ö How
do you think your (mother/father) would feel if they saw you upset like
this?
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ö You must feel
like an orphan now.
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ö You poor
thing, life will never be the same.
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ö It was their
time, they lived a long life.
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Related Articles |
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ö
What
to Say… When You Don’t Know What To Say
by Lori Pederson |
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Helping Children Grieve during the Holidays by Miri
Rossitto |
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Mother's
Day Remembrance
by
Lori Pederson |
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Grief Support Books
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Sympathy Gift Ideas |
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Click here for more
Sympathy Gift Ideas
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Grief Support Groups & Organizations for Loss of a Parent |
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Grief Support for Children |
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Children's Grief Connection
Children's Grief Connection, formerly
known as Camp Amanda-Minnesota is a nonprofit
organization providing grief programs for children and
teens in partnership with Minnesota's funeral directors.
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Foundation for Grieving Children
The Foundation for Grieving Children, Inc. is the first
national public charity specifically designed to raise
funds and provide grants to organizations whose mission
is to assist, counsel, comfort and educate children and
families following the death of a loved one.
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Ted E Bear Hollow
We create
a safe environment for children, their loved ones and
the communities in which they live to honor and embrace
the experiences that accompany death and grief.
Omaha, NE.
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The National Alliance for Grieving Children
The National Alliance for Grieving Children promotes
awareness of the needs of children and teens grieving a
death and provides education and resources for anyone
who wants to support them... Because all grieving
children deserve a chance to heal.
ö
When Families Grieve on PBS with
Katie Couric
When Families Grieve presents
families' personal stories about coping with the death of
a parent, as well as strategies that have helped these
families move forward.
http://www.sesameworkshop.org/grief
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- -How children grieve differently than adults
- -What to say and do to help grieving children of
different ages
- -Where to find additional resources to help you and
the child
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Loss of a Parent |
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Losing Your Parent
My Intention is to
connect those of us who have lost our mothers, our fathers or
both parents, at any age, through art, writing, and focusing on
the positive, despite these circumstances that have changed us
forever.
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Lori Pederson