5 Things You Should Never Say to Someone Who Is Grieving
Funeral homes in Lithia Springs, GA are routinely filled with well-wishers trying to find the right words to say to those who have just lost a loved one. And unfortunately, those well-wishers stumble over their words far too often and end up saying the wrong things. They don’t mean to do it, but they use phrases that make grieving families feel even worse about their situations.
If you want to avoid doing this, you should use phrases like, “I’m so sorry for your loss.” You should also steer clear of saying certain things that could upset someone who is still processing a devastating loss. Here are 5 things you should never say to someone who is grieving.
“How is everything going?”
Things aren’t going good for those who are mourning the loss of a loved one. So the only thing you’re going to do by saying this to them is remind them of just how bad things truly are. This question might seem innocent enough, and it might not do too much harm. But there are better ways to check in with someone to see how they’re doing. So skip asking this altogether and take a different approach.
“Well, at least they’re in a better place now…”
“They’re in a better place” has turned into a huge cliche in the funeral industry. People fall back on it a little too often, and as a result, it has really lost its meaning. Rather than resorting to using it when you’re talking to someone who is grieving, focus on them and their emotions. You can try saying something like, “I’m sorry you’re going through this,” to them instead.
“I’m sure you knew this day would come eventually”
Everyone is going to die one day. That is just a fact. But that fact doesn’t make things any easier on families when one of their loved ones passes away. And the last thing you want to do is try to brush off a person’s death by pointing out that their death was inevitable. Even if a person died after a lengthy battle with a disease, you should still avoid pointing out the obvious when speaking with their loved ones.
“Let me know if I can do anything for you”
This is a tricky one, because it definitely sounds like you’re saying the right thing here. But here’s the problem: When you tell someone to let you know if you can do anything for them, you’re putting them in a position where they’ll need to break down and ask you for help. And most people aren’t comfortable doing that. Instead, let someone know exactly what you’re going to do for them (i.e. “I’m going to bring you dinner every night next week”) and tell them you won’t take no for an answer. It’ll remove any guilt they might feel about you helping out following their loved one’s Lithia Springs, GA funeral services.
“I know exactly how you feel right now”
Do you really know how the other person feels right now? Maybe you lost a parent recently like they just did. Or maybe you lost a spouse after being married to them for 40 years like they just did. But even still, there’s no way for you to know exactly how they feel at the moment. So try not to pretend like you do.
Knowing what to say (and what not to say!) to those who are grieving during a Lithia Springs, GA funeral can be tough. Davis-Struempf Funeral Home & Crematory understands this and works with families that are in mourning to help them process their grief. It makes their interactions with well-wishers a little less painful. Contact us at (770) 944-2900 or stop by 1975 E West Connector, Austell, GA 30106 to see how we can help your family.
