
Here are some tips on belated condolence notes:
- Whether you just learned of a death or procrastinated for months, don’t be afraid to reach out.
- Begin your sympathy message with an expression of how you are feeling. For example: “I just wanted you to know that Susan is often in my thoughts and I remember her with love, as I know you do."
- Follow with additional thoughts, a personal story or memory of the deceased, and your expression of sympathy.
- The bereaved will be grieving for a long time and your thoughtfulness and care will help in the healing process.
Robbie Miller Kaplan is an author who writes from a unique perspective as a mother who has lost two children. She has written How to Say It When You Don't Know What to Say, a guide to help readers communicate effectively when those they care about experience loss, now at a reduced price for e-books for "Illness & Death," "Suicide," "Miscarriage," "Death of a Child," "Death of a Stillborn or Newborn Baby," "Pet Loss," "Caregiver Responsibilities," "Divorce" and "Job Loss." All titles are in Amazon's Kindle Store.