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In this article, we’ll explore compassionate ways to help someone through grief and consider how creating a personal tribute, such as transforming ashes into glass, can celebrate a life beautifully remembered.
Understanding the Grieving Process
Grief is not linear. It doesn’t follow a timeline, and it doesn’t always make sense. Some days may be filled with tears, others with laughter and memories, and some with an aching silence. Recognising that everyone grieves differently is the first and most important step in supporting a loved one.
Some individuals may want to talk at length about the person they’ve lost. Others may withdraw and prefer solitude. It’s essential to meet them where they are—emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. Listening without judgment and offering your presence without pressure gives them permission to grieve in their own way.
Practical Ways to Provide Comfort and Care
1) Be Present, Not Pushy
Sometimes the best thing you can do is simply be there. Sit with them in silence if that’s what they need. Let them cry, reminisce, or even laugh without feeling like they must “move on.” Your consistency and reliability offer a safe space in a time of overwhelming change.
2) Offer Specific Help
Rather than the well-meaning but vague “Let me know if you need anything,” offer concrete help. This could be preparing meals, helping with school runs, managing housework, or assisting with funeral arrangements. These acts can ease the daily burden and show you truly care.
3) Send a Handwritten Note
In a digital age, a handwritten note holds deep emotional value. A few heartfelt words about the person who has passed or a cherished memory can bring warmth and connection. It lets the bereaved know their loved one is remembered.
4) Check In—Not Just Now, But Later Too
Grief doesn't end after the funeral. The weeks and months following a loss can be even lonelier as life resumes for everyone else. Regular messages, calls, or visits—even if brief—can make a world of difference. Marking anniversaries or birthdays can also show your ongoing support and remembrance.
Photo by Sandy Millar on Unsplash
Creating a Personal Tribute: Honouring Their Memory
A beautiful way to celebrate a life is by creating a personal tribute. This doesn’t need to be grand or costly; it simply needs to be meaningful.
1) Memory Books and Keepsakes
Encourage the grieving person to collect photos, letters, or stories into a memory book. Friends and family can contribute messages or anecdotes, creating a touching record of love, joy, and shared history. This can become a source of comfort during the hardest days.
2) Plant a Memorial Tree or Garden
Nature offers a healing backdrop for remembrance. Planting a tree or dedicating a small garden to the memory of a loved one allows for quiet reflection and a living, growing tribute. It’s also a wonderful way for families to gather and honour anniversaries in a peaceful setting.
3) Transforming Ashes Into Glass
For those who have chosen cremation, turning ashes into glass is an increasingly popular and touching way to keep a loved one close. Memorial glass jewellery or ornaments provide a tangible connection that can be worn or displayed with pride and sentiment.
Ashes to glass creations involve fusing a small portion of ashes with molten glass to create beautifully crafted pieces—rings, pendants, or paperweights—each one unique and personal. It’s a gentle, lasting way to carry a piece of someone’s spirit with you.
These keepsakes can also be gifted to family members, ensuring that each person has a part of their loved one to cherish in their own way. For many, ashes into glass becomes not just a tribute, but a symbol of enduring love.
Encouraging Healing Through Ritual and Reflection
Rituals help us process grief and give it shape. Whether religious or secular, personal or shared, rituals can mark milestones, offer closure, and keep memories alive.
Lighting a candle on special dates, writing letters to the deceased, or creating a photo wall at home can all help the grieving person connect with their emotions in a healthy, meaningful way.
Encourage them to reflect in whatever form feels right—journaling, talking with a counsellor, or engaging in creative outlets like painting, music, or poetry. Healing isn’t about forgetting; it’s about learning to carry love and loss together.
Helping Children Through Grief
If children are part of the grieving process, they will need extra reassurance, stability, and age-appropriate explanations. Help them express themselves through drawing, storytelling, or play. Be honest in your language, and avoid euphemisms that might confuse or frighten them.
Children also benefit from rituals and keepsakes. A small ashes-to-glass pendant or a soft toy that holds memories can help them stay connected and feel secure.
When to Encourage Professional Support
Grief can sometimes become overwhelming or prolonged in a way that affects a person’s ability to function day to day. If your loved one seems stuck in despair, is withdrawing from life, or shows signs of depression, it may be time to gently suggest professional support. Counsellors, therapists, and support groups can offer a safe space for healing.
A Final Thought: Love Never Leaves Us
Grief is, in its truest form, an expression of love. To mourn deeply is to have loved deeply. By being there for someone in their grief, helping them find ways to honour the person they’ve lost—through rituals, reflection, or ashes to glass tributes—you help keep that love alive in new and powerful ways.
Supporting someone through grief is not about fixing the pain. It’s about walking beside them, offering your heart, your hands, and your time. And in doing so, you help carry not just the weight of sorrow—but the beauty of a life that will always be remembered.
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