Sympathy Sentiments

There is no easy way to way to start writing a letter of condolence, or even to put a few words into a sympathy card – it’s one of the toughest things you will ever have to do. I found the following article very useful in reinforcing what has been posted here in the past. The author makes a good point when he says to add something personal if you are using an example from another source.

Sympathy Wording – How to Ease the Writing Task

By Bob Matthews

Composing Sincere Sympathy Wording is Not an Easy Task

Choosing sympathy wording for bereavement cards is never a simple matter. You feel like you are “on the spot”. You do your best to make your words sound genuine and sincere, but it is always difficult to put your true feelings into words. However, if you take a little time to plan out your message and follow the tips in this article, you will see soon be able to see remarkable improvements in your sympathy wording.

Personalize Your Sympathy Wording

While you can certainly send preprinted sympathy cards, your message will have more impact and be better appreciated if you take the time to compose it yourself. I am not suggesting that you can only send blank cards with your words exclusively being the only words on the inside. It is perfectly acceptable to send a “standard” store-bought card with a preprinted sentiment on the inside, but be sure to include additional words of your own in addition to your signature. In fact, if you chose carefully, the preprinted words in the card may actually complement your words and serve to make you message stronger.

What to Include in Your Sympathy Wording

One thing you will certainly wish to express is your own sadness and feelings of loss. These words will not be easy to write. It is hard to express our true feelings – and they generally do not translate easily or well into the English language. Be careful not to over-embellish your language here. Flowery or pretentious language will have a tendency to sound insincere or phony in this situation. Keep it simple and write conversationally. Write as if you were speaking and your words will sound natural and sincere.

Most importantly, to show your support, you will also want to include an offer to follow up or help in some way. I will give you a call tomorrow. Maybe we can meet for dinner. Or, I know you’re going to be busy this week. If you need someone to watch the children, just let me know.

A Difficult Job

Most people find it much harder to compose sympathy wording than birthday greetings, anniversary wished or other holiday greeting. Those latter occasions are happy and joyful and consequently, are easier to speak and write about. On the other hand, the passing of a loved one is a very delicate situation. Additionally, the person receiving your greetings is most likely in a delicate and vulnerable state of mind so we must take care in all of our communications with them.

Look for Inspiration

To make the job easier, feel free to search online or look for a suitable book to help compose your sympathy wording. A book that I happen to use is a book titled Words to the Rescue. The phrases in this time-saving book are written so that they can be borrowed and written directly on the card. However, I prefer not to use them “as-is” but to customize them to make them more personal and appropriate for the situation at hand.

So, for example, if I am trying to find exceptional sympathy wording for a friend who has lost their father; I might choose this sentiment from the book to use as a springboard: I didn’t have the pleasure of knowing your grandfather. But from what you told me, I know how much he was loved and will be missed.

Using the basic structure and essence of that phrase, I could rework it: I didn’t have the pleasure of knowing your father. But from the all the stories you told us about your family vacations, I realize what a vibrant and uplifting person he was and how much he will be missed.

Fight Against Sympathy Wording Writer’s Block

Sure, it’s hard to write effective sympathy wording. It’s a touchy subject and it’s easy to write words that sound insincere. But by simply following the tips in this article you can be crafting improved sympathy messages immediately. Also, I recommend that you purchase a resource for inspiration.

I recommend Words to the Rescue by Steve Fadie – mostly because I’ve never seen another book like it. For more information on Words to the Rescue, and to find out how you can download some FREE SAMPLES from the book, see the paragraph below.

About the Author: One of my favorite handy resources for helping me write sympathy messages, birthday cards, floral cards – greetings of any kind – is a book called Words to the Rescue. It’s great for composing sympathy wording or sentiments for any kind of cards. With more than 1000 phrases and sentiments to choose from, it will be a great resource for years to come.

Source: www.isnare.com

Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=484404&ca=Death

Attending a funeral service or memorial is a time that reminds us of how short life really is – no matter whether the person you are there for is young or very old. When you hear the speeches and remembrances of others, it is common to consider how we ourselves, might be remembered.

In a world of diverse cultures, beliefs and personalities, everyone basically wants the same thing when it comes to how they are remembered. They want to be remembered in a positive light not for their accomplishments, but more importantly, that they meant something in the lives of others.

If you are in the position of having to speak at a service, or maybe just expressing your sympathies to someone who has lost a loved one, you will more than likely speak of the good they may have done, or a trait they had that made them so special.

Often people are remembered by recalling a particular incident that shows how they affected others. Perhaps a funny or light-hearted story that shows how the person brought laughter to others, or examples of how they were a special mother, father, sister, brother, daughter, etc. It is at times like these when we may re-examine our lives and reconsider what our priorities in life should be.

How do you want to be remembered? As someone who was successful in business and made a lot of money? Or as someone who touched people’s lives and did their best to make the world a better place? It is a very interesting question to ponder.