Ways to show sympathy

Visit:
Personal presence is sometimes much more complicated and can be very demanding for some. However, visiting the home of the deceased or surviving relatives to express your condolence will go a long way to show you care which is more important than object-based help. When someone experiences the loss of a loved one, he or she might feel overwhelming grief, disorientation and hopelessness. Often, the best support we can give does not come in the from of words but in the generosity of our presence.
Letting your friend know that you care by attending the funeral, visiting, calling and offering a hug can show them that they are not alone in their grief. Sometimes, a touch of the hand and a sympathetic look or hug can communicate most powerfully at a funeral or visitation service while also bringing comfort.

Listen:
Listening and understanding means being attentive and not only noticing someone else’s words but also noticing intonation, gaze and facial expression, gestures, attitude, and feeling the context.

To begin with, it would be nice to remain silent when the bereaved is speaking. Do not try to interrupt, but allow the speaker to express their opinion, give his/her interpretation or evaluate the situation. By the way, sometimes, the purpose of listening is not for you to understand what they are saying, but a means to vent locked-up emotions. So by allowing them to make his/her voice heard is an invaluable way to show sympathy.

Wish them well:
One thing is certain. Bereaved individuals appreciate all the expression of compassion – whether that is personal or via phone. So you should send your condolences via text, phone call, or face to face.
Do not be afraid that you will not find the right words or say something wrong. Remember that it is even more painful and uncomfortable to avoid the next of kin for fear of a ‘blunder’. If you express your condolences, the chance that you say something wrong is quite small.
If you don’t know what to say, it is okay if you simply say so – you can honestly state that you do not know what to say. Doing so will also be appreciated by the surviving relative.

Send a card or condolence letter:
There are different ways to show sympathy to someone who just lost a dear one. One of such is sending a card. Give it a more personal touch when you send a handwritten card- by writing your message by hand, you make your message own. The tone of your text depends on your relationship with the deceased and the next of kin. And depends on who died: is it a child, a parent or, for example, a colleague? You can express your feelings and compassion in a card or letter.
If you don’t find the right words so quickly, you can use a piece of text from a song. You could even use a poem or write one yourself.

Offer support
It can be extremely helpful for a grieving person to know they are not alone, both in the days immediately following a death and in the months and years after it. Pick up groceries, do household chores or help them organize bills in addition to visiting, signing the guestbook, sending a card, making a call and leaving condolences on an online obituary.