Is It A Good Time To Reach Out – Yes!

When someone we know loses someone they love, we naturally want to be there for them at the time of loss. We do our best to attend the memorial service, send flowers or a card, take time for a phone call or short visit. But after time goes by, the caring that is so evident immediately after someone’s passing, diminishes, at least in appearance. It isn’t that we don’t care, but if we have not been directly impacted by the loss, life slips back to normal. It isn’t wrong or unkind, it just happens.

It doesn’t have to be that way. With a little forethought, you can be there for someone when they least expect it. Make a note on your calendar to reach out a few months after the memorial service, just to check in or even on a regular basis every few months. Set a time to make a phone call, schedule a lunch or to send a card with a personal note. Let them know that they are on your mind. This gesture may be exactly what they need, an invitation to talk about what they are going through, how they are managing and if they need help getting through.

Sometimes we feel afraid of reaching out to friends who are grieving, thinking we might be bringing up sad memories that they are trying to avoid. In almost every case, this is exactly the opposite. People who have lost someone dear to them, are often afraid that others have forgotten their loved one. Making the effort to share memories and conversations about the one who is gone from their life most likely will be a welcomed gesture that will help them through the grieving process.