Sometimes when people share a common loss, they automatically feel a bond, although it’s unfortunately over something they all do not cherish. It seems like widowhood is one of those things, a club that you become a part of but don’t really want to be in. Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook recently lost her husband and found herself flooded with sympathy from other grieving widows. Women who felt her pain and understood what kind of hurt she was going through posted and commented on her Facebook page. Sandberg attended her daughter’s soccer game days after her husband, 47-year-old SurveyMonkey CEO Dave Goldberg, passed away and sat down next to another widow. In a Facebook post she wrote, “I sat down — and before we had said 10 words to each other, I felt completely understood. She told me that she

Losing someone dear to you is probably one of the hardest things a person has to go through in his lifetime. Everyone deals with pain differently and the grieving process can be different as well. Here are some tips on that can help make the grieving process easier for people who just lost their loved ones. –          Take time to grieve. –           Honor the person you lost by visiting their grave, talking about them and spending time honoring their memory. –          Isolate yourself if you feel like being alone. To learn more, click here.

In times of grief, having people around to care and offer support can make a great difference. Here are some pointers on showing your support for a grieving loved one: Often, a bereaved feels isolated and alone in his or her grief, but having someone to lean on can help him or her through the grieving process. So, don’t let discomfort prevent you from reaching out to someone grieving. Understand that there is no right or wrong way to grieve. It involves extreme emotions and behaviors, and that there is no timetable for the process. In helping a grieving loved one, learn to listen with compassion, encourage him to talk about his feelings, and avoid comments that may make the person uncomfortable. To learn more, click here.  

Death is a very sensitive topic for people of all ages. For some parents, it is a reality from which their children need to be shielded. However, there may come a time when a parent needs to help a child gain a better perspective on the subject. If that day comes, consider the following: It is important to understand that children are aware of death. By permitting children to talk to us about death, we can give them needed information. Remember that children are great observers. When we avoid talking about something that is obviously upsetting, children often hesitate to bring up the subject or ask questions about it. While not all our answers may be comforting, we can share what we truly believe. To learn more, click here.

A poem can be an excellent way of expressing your love for a person and your sadness for his passing. To guide you through the process of writing a sincere and heartfelt poem, consider the following tips: Take the time to reflect and brainstorm for your funeral poem writing. Write down popular sayings or expressions that your loved one used. Make sure to highlight your loved one’s accomplishments. Reflect on the pain of your loved one’s passing and what it means to you as well as others who knew your loved one well. Don’t focus on writing a rhyming scheme. Compile all of your ideas into the final poem to make sure your funeral poem encompasses your feelings. To learn more, click here.