Consolation help.

[AvsJoe]

An old friend of mine had a stillborn baby and my boss' stepdad passed away a couple of days ago. I am not close to either of these two and I've never been good at consoling people. I can never say something like "I'm sorry for your loss" because that line seems so hollow to me, but I still want to express my sympathies to these guys. Belp!

 

[MiracleOfSound]

Just tell them they're in your thoughts and you're sorry to hear thier bad news.

There is no etiquette around death, people usually just appreciate any gesture.

 

[DigitalSushi]

a card always works, I mean don't actively give it to them, if they live close by then just pop it through the letter box.

But if you don't know where they live and you find out where they live just to stalk them and pop a card through their letter box then they will think you completely mental.

Actually I'm not the best person in the world to give advice like that because I'm an emotionless husk of a man.

 

[Im Nightmare]

Theres not really much to say, my dad passed a few years ago and I never got one of those lines. Just hugs and lots of company for two weeks. Really the best medicine for a loss is company.

It keeps the persons mind off of the situation and it reminds you that people care.

 

[Withall]

I'm terrible at consoling people myself, but I prefer to think that you should be honest, but try to offer what you can: an ear and a shoulder.

It probably won't help at all, but if I were in your situation, I'd tell them that "you're going to react the way you react. If you need to cry, do so. If you need to scream your lungs out, do so. If you need personal time, take it. It's your life, and your grief. Deal with it as well as you can".

The worst loss I have ever suffered is the loss of a pet turle when I was... 9? So, I'm NOT the best person to give advice to any grieving people, or their friends/relatives.

 

[Scove]

the apologising and the are you ok are such a traditional thing to say because its a hard thing to talk about... had this experience the other day as my friends grandmother passed away

only advice i would give is just be there to listen if the person needs you