If You Don't Know What To Say, Listen

I previously gave a list of dos and don'ts when it came to things to say to people who are grieving. But I wanted to talk more about something that people often overlook.  Silence.  Many times, people who are grieving just need someone to listen.  Even if they aren't talking, just having someone sitting with them in silence is a comfort to them.  Sitting in silence with someone who is grieving even has biblical roots, as Job's friends initially come and sit with him in silence.  The truth is, you can never say the wrong thing if you are listening.  It may feel uncomfortable at first.  Many of us have a need to fill the silence with chit chat.  But sitting quietly, letting the griever just be, letting them express their feelings without judgment, is an opportunity they don't get very often and is a welcome change. It provides them a safe space to process their grief.  It is a generous gift and one we could all give more often.