Welcome. Be sure to to get your free Daily Inspirational Thoughts by going to www.CaregivingWithPurpose.com/Inspiration.. Thanks for visiting!If you’ve ever written a sympathy note or card, you know what it’s like to sit and ponder your words. Even more than weighing your words before speaking, wondering what to say in a sympathy card can be a problem. As a compassionate person, you know it’s stressful for the family.  And you don’t want to add to their pain.  Intentional or not misplaced words can hurt both you and the bereaved. And the process of finding the right words... (Read More ...)

When struggling for what to say in a sympathy card is humor the answer? Laughter can be a coping mechanism to deal with deep emotional pain. As part of my eighth grade history class we listened to audio recordings of the Nuremberg Trials. To me it was a sad serious time.  From the back of the class giggles erupted. Oh, not from the girls.  Who then?  The boys including some big strong athletes. Eventually the teacher stopped the presentation asking if anyone knew what was funny.  When no one volunteered any information, he offered his own explanation. He explained that sometimes when we are... (Read More ...)

One of the hardest things to know is what to say in a sympathy card. Writing a card is hard when you’re upset or grieving.  Or maybe you’re in shock from an unexpected loss. When I practiced medicine, sometimes the office sent a sympathy card to grieving family members.  Knowing what to say was often hard. It can be challenging to know what to say without offending anyone.  You know what? It’s important to do it anyway.  You’re offering comfort to a grieving person.  And sometimes that’s all you can do. A sympathy card is often thought of as old fashioned or just... (Read More ...)

When someone dies, it’s often difficult to know what to say in a sympathy card to the family. And do you say anything different to the primary caregiver? Well, there may be a closeness between the caregiver and the departed that isn’t there with other family members.  It’s also likely the caregiver is emotionally and physically exhausted from caregiving. When my parents passed, we received many cards and letters. And I learned things about my parents I’d never known.  But it didn’t really surprise me to know they’d done nice things for people quietly and without... (Read More ...)

Today the U.S. observes Memorial Day. In many areas it’s not so much a celebration as it is a way to honor those who’ve passed.  Started after or around the Civil War, traditionally Memorial Day honors fallen servicemen and women. Oh sure, there are picnics and parades and marching bands in some areas.  It’s also a time to place flags or flowers on graves in cemeteries.  And to solemnly remember those who paid the ultimate price for freedom. When I was a child, each year the local paper ran a story on historic Boalsburg, Pennsylvania, and how it was home to Memorial Day. Until… One... (Read More ...)