“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” Matthew 5:4
In the midst of mourning, there is indeed comfort. Comfort, and indeed joy in the form of a sympathy card.
When someone I know has a loved one who has died, I do send a card. I try to be very mindful of the things I say. I tell a memory or something special that the bereaved has shared with me, I express my condolences, put a stamp on the envelope, and off it goes. I had no idea the power such a card could carry. My goodness, I am going to have to up my sympathy card game.
The sentiments expressed in the cards I received were truly profound. Some examples: “Her generous spirit and unflinching kindness are with me still”, “Hold tight to God’s promises. You will see each other again one day”, “Memories are a gift of God’s that death does not destroy”, “There is grief in memory, but there is joy too”, “No matter how old we are we always need our mom”, “Our mothers give us gifts we can open again and again”. These were not the messages on the Hallmark card – these were notes that my dear friends wrote to me. What joy these messages gave me in my time of grief.
What gave me just as much joy was getting cards, whether or not the message was particularly profound or not. I have them on my bedstand and I read them periodically. To know that so many people know me and hold me in their hearts is such a gift.
So, the next time I am debating if I should send a sympathy card, after all, I didn’t really know the deceased, or I am not close to the grieving family member, I will do it.
Sympathy cards give the person left behind so much joy in the time of COVID, and in their time of grief.