Having a broken heart from the loss of my wife, I found that God used many people to help comfort my five young children and me. Family, friends and my local church came to our rescue many times as we were in a desperate mode of survival. There were even random strangers that offered kind words at times when we desperately needed encouragement.

As I have many memories of love and encouragement that I received in my time of grief, I also remember times when I would get unwanted philosophies or vein attempts at easing the mood. I am convinced that each odd conversation was meant to comfort, but in reality made my emotional state worse.

Some think that you have to say something to help the grieving, while others offer availability to do anything if the grieving just calls them. Neither of these responses is bad, they just do not necessarily help the grieving. A quickly spoken cliché may be like a dagger in the heart; and an option to call will likely pass as an empty offer that will never happen.

Realizing that our culture does not know what to do with those in grief, I hope this forum offers comfort into the grieving mind from others in our same grief.

Lewis