Words of Condolence

The first thing you need to be aware of when writing your letter of condolence is that it must be written and delivered promptly.  Time is the great healer after someone loses a loved one; by waiting too long to send your letter of condolence, you could actually interrupt a person’s healing process.  Your letter should be written within two weeks of the loss happening.  At this point they will still be in the very early stages of grieving and your letter will let them know you are thinking about them while not stunting the natural stages of grief.

Whether you choose to write your letter of condolence on stationary or a handwritten note in a card is up to you.  Often times it is best to write your letter on stationary and mail it to your grieving friend or family member.  In their time of need they need all of the small joys they can get, and studies have shown that getting a letter from a friend in the mail brings many people a small amount of joy.

You letter should be handwritten and in your natural voice.  A handwritten note is a more personal gesture than a typed letter.  Your goal is to convey your sympathies to the grieving person and help ease their pain.  Handwritten letters convey a warmth and personal touch that cannot be matched by a typed letter.  When writing the letter, you should write it as close to the way you would talk to that person as possible.  Your voice will offer a small degree of comfort to your grieving friend.  Making sure that your letter reads the way you talk helps put your friend at ease and ensures that your letter and sympathies do not sound trite and contrived.