When someone you love or care about is experiencing the death of a loved one. It can be hard to just sit by and watch them grieve. If you are confused about how you can be of service or bring a little comfort to them, here's how you can be of help:
1. Let them cry.
This might seem strange to many Nigerians because the norm has always been to get the bereaved to stop crying. But the right thing to do is to let the person express their emotions. There is no right or wrong way to grieve. If they choose to grieve by crying, then they should. However, you can sit with them, hold them, pat their backs, wipe their tears and just be physically there for them.
2. Cook for them.
The bereaved might be unmotivated to cook or care for themselves. Well, this is your chance to step in. This is not the time to go to the bereaved house and still expect to be served a huge plate of food. Instead, be of service to them by cooking for them. It might be difficult for the person in grief to plan their meals and eat healthily. You can cook for them and also ensure that they eat well.
3. Be a good listener
Sometimes all they want from you is to listen to them. Sit with them in silence and listen to them talk about how they feel. This is not the time to start dishing out advice on how to feel or how to grieve. This might just be how you can provide comfort to them.
4. You can also help out by cleaning their houses or running a few errands for them. People in grief sometimes find it difficult to go about their day-to-day activities like they used to. You can help out with a few chores or runs some important errands for them.
5. Pray for them
Don’t just say you will pray for them. Really pray for them.
It is common for people to tell the bereaved that they will pray for them, but more often times than not, no prayers are said. This is a gentle reminder that you should really include them in your prayers.
If you are worried and you see the need for the bereaved to talk to a mental health professional, book a session with us here.