Taking the time to personalize a sympathy note or letter helps the grieving person and also helps the sender. Adding a personal touch to a condolence card helps to convey heartfelt sympathies, as a gift straight from the heart of the person sending condolences.
Personalizing a condolence card with enclosures, a favorite sympathy quote, Bible verse, Psalm, comforting poem or blessing, sharing a special memory or adding a bookmark are all ways to make the card more meaningful for the giver and more special for the recipient. Special personal touches include quotes, verses and poems that may have been helpful to the person giving the card, during his or her own time of grief.
Personalize a Sympathy Note or Letter with an Enclosure
There are many ways to personalize a condolence note or letter. One can start by creating a custom condolence card or sympathy note.
Some of the easiest ways are to write, type and include a quote, Bible verse or Psalm, poem or blessing or musical lyric. Including a story about the person who has died is a unique way to personalize a sympathy letter. Making a special bookmark for the card is another easy way to personalize a sympathy card.
Add a Sympathy Quote to Personalize a Card
Sympathy quotes can be found in many places on the Internet, just by doing a search for sympathy or condolence quote. One quote that is very appropriate for personalizing a sympathy note comes from Thomas Campbell. His simple words from the poem "Hallowed Ground," "To live in the hearts we leave behind is not to die" as quoted on Bartleby.com have brought comfort to many grieving a loss.
Another moving quote found in Lorene Hanley Duquin's book, Grieving With the Help of Your Catholic Faith published in 2006 by Our Sunday Visitor comes from Dr. Leo Buscaglia. "I know for certain that we never lose the people we love, even to death. They continue to participate in every act, thought and decision we make. Their love leaves an indelible imprint in our memories. We find comfort in knowing that our lives have been enriched by having shared their love." This quote can be found on many condolence pages on the Internet.
Include a Bible Verse or Psalm to Personalize a Sympathy Note
Bible verses and Psalms are best used for those who would find comfort in hearing a quote from the Bible. They are generally not recommended when writing formal business sympathy letters.
One of the most quoted Bible verse during times of death is the 23rd Psalm, also known as The Lord is my Shepherd, "The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul." This Psalm could be written out or typed out and tucked into a sympathy card as a special personal touch.
Enclose a Comforting Poem or Blessing
Poetry has been used over the years to creatively cope with grief. There are many poems that have been written to convey the depths of grief and loss. Some famous poems include WH Auden's "Funeral Blues," Christina Rossetti's "Remember," Cannon Henry Scott Holland's "All is Well" and Bishop Brent's "What is Dying?" These can be easily found by searching the Internet.
Blessings are another resource that can be written out or typed out and enclosed in a condolence letter. The Irish Blessing as seen in the picture below and found in Joan Larson Kelly's book Irish Wit and Wisdom published by Peter Pauper Press is probably one of the most famous of the blessings, "May the road rise up to meet you, May the wind be always at your back, May the sunshine warm upon your face, the rains fall soft upon your fields, and until we meet again, May God hold you in the palm of his hand."
Share a Story about the Person who has Died
Those grieving a loss often remark that reading or hearing favorite stories, or favorite memories about their loved ones helps them to realize that other family members, friends and colleagues are also grieving the loss.
If appropriate for the situation, taking a few moments to write out a favorite memory or sharing a story will be greatly appreciated by the bereaved person.
Personalize a Condolence Card with a Custom Bookmark
Another way to personalize the condolence card is by creating a bookmark. The bookmark with charm seen in the picture below is just one way to create a bookmark that can be tucked into a card. This bookmark was created from tassel cording, beads and a charm which reads, "The times when I miss you the most, I remind myself that we can never really be apart, because you're always on my mind, and forever in my heart."
Bookmarks can be created from a favorite photographs, paper, ribbon, yarns and embellished with charms, beads to convey your sympathy. The bookmark can be used when reading books as a reminder of one's sympathy and support.
Personalizing a sympathy card is a simple step that may take a few extra moments when writing out the card, but those special personal touches that convey heartfelt sympathies will long be remembered by the recipient.
Kirsti A. Dyer - Kirsti A. Dyer MD, MS, FT is a respected physician, health educator, professor, author and lecturer.
