Condolence Letter
10/18/2017
Going through a phase where one needs to cope with a departed family member is a very tough one. If in the middle of all this one gets a Condolence Letter from someone who really cares, it works as a “Quick Fix”. A Condolence Letter is a letter that is written to the family who has lost a loved one either all of a sudden or after a prolonged illness/hospitalization.
A Condolence Letter should be very carefully worded because it will be given to a family mourning a death and the last thing that they would want is a misunderstanding of any sort. It should always be short and crisp. A Condolence Letter should be sent immediately after hearing about the death. The family should also be told that the writer’s support is always there with them whenever and wherever needed. It should preferably be hand-delivered to give that personal touch to the whole situation.A Condolence Letter should always be directly addressed to the person who is known to the writer, as it is easier for the family to then relate to the sender. It should also be made sure that the writer writes her/his full name for easy recognition of the sender.
If a Condolence Letter has a few words about the departed soul that have been a source of strength to the writer, then it helps lessen the pain of the family. If an image is drawn, through words, of the person who has left for her/his heavenly abode, it gives some solace to the family as they feel that the soul is somewhere with them.
DOS AND DONT’S OF A CONDOLENCE LETTER
- A Condolence Letter should always be sent immediately when the news of the death is known
- It should be very carefully worded to avoid any further pain to the family
- It should be short and crisp
- The writer must write her/his full name in the letter to ensure that the sender is recognized by the family
- A few words about the departed soul in the letter soften the pain for the family
- While writing a Condolence Letter the writer must also offer any kind of help if required by the family at any unearthly hour also
- A Condolence Letter should only address the purpose for which it is written – condoning the death of a member
- It should be to the point and there is no need for the content to be beating about the bush i.e. it should come straight to the point
