Knowing What Words are Appropriate at the Services Can Be Confusing, so Here are a Few Helpful Suggestions
Attending a funeral can be challenging, especially if you’ve never experienced one. The funerals offer an opportunity for family and friends to come together and more than the loved one at one of the local funeral homes in Sterling Heights, MI, and if you have been invited, you may not know what to say. How do you avoid saying the wrong thing and be present with someone mourning? The answers aren’t always straightforward but offering your condolences is one way to help them know you care, so here are a few helpful suggestions.
Preparing Yourself for Public Speaking
It is not uncommon for family members to ask if anyone wants to speak at the funeral; it could be a great way to express feelings about the loss. If you have been asked to participate in this, a few ways to prepare yourself include:
- Before the event, write down what you will say and practice it in advance.
- Tell a story about the individual’s life or your experience with them.
- Keep your speech short, typically between three and five minutes.
- Incorporate calming exercises prior if you’re feeling nervous about speaking in front of an audience
- To help make the speech feel more personal, be sure to address the family and keep your focus on those in the front row who were closest to the loved one.
- Being aware of what your tone is and be sure to sound sincere with your words
- Don’t make light of the situation, and refrain from telling jokes
- Don’t compare your situation to someone else’s
- Offer a gift or small token as a kind gesture
- Let the individual know it’s okay to grieve
Appropriate things to Say
Finding the right words to offer can be complicated and keeping it meaningful and simple is recommended. A few of the most common phrases to use are:
- This is an incredibly difficult loss
- They were a large part of my life and will be missed
- I am so sorry for this loss
- They were loved by so many
What Should You Avoid Saying?
It is essential to understand that not everything is appropriate to say at a funeral, and some phrases may cause more harm they’re good, even if they’re coming from a place of kind intention. And while it can be challenging to find the right words, some can only make the situation harder, so a few phrases to avoid saying are:
- Their death was part of God’s plan
- It was their time
- You will get over this
- I’m not surprised they passed away
We Offer Compassionate Care and Support
How you express your sympathy makes a difference, and words and gestures might be what they need to encourage them as they process the loss. Preparing can make a difference in the entire experience, and if you need to schedule services, our team is here to support you.
Our experts have been providing exceptional services since 1906, and we are one of the top-rated funeral homes in Sterling Heights, MI, so contact us today for more information.
