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 Journeying through Grief

Sample Letter to Accompany Book 1—A Time to Grieve

(Sent three weeks after the loss)

Here is a sample letter to accompany Book 1—A Time to Grieve. You can use this sample by highlighting the text and then copying and pasting it into your word processing program.

We encourage you to customize and personalize the letter for the person who will be receiving it.



[Date]

Dear [Recipient’s name],

Below are two options for an opening paragraph. With either option, you could use the deceased’s name or the recipient’s relationship with the deceased—for example, “your mother.” Do whatever seems more natural or appropriate, given your relationship with the recipient.

Option 1: It’s been a few weeks since [deceased’s name or the recipient’s relationship with the deceased] passed away. I want to tell you how sorry I am about your loss.

Option 2: [Name of the person who informed you about the loss] let me know that [deceased’s name or the recipient’s relationship with the deceased] passed away. I want to tell you how sorry I am about your loss.

The enclosed book, A Time to Grieve, is the first of four Journeying through Grief books that I’ll be sending to you over the coming year. Each book describes the issues and feelings people tend to encounter at various points during the first year after a loss.

[If it is true for you, you could say something like this:] I received these books when I lost my [relationship with your lost loved one], and I found a lot of comfort and wisdom in them. My hope is that they’ll make a difference for you too.

One thing I like about this first book, as well as the three that will follow, is the warm, friendly way it’s written. It’s the kind of book you can read a little bit at a time or all in one sitting—whatever works best for you.

I hope you’ll find the words and ideas reassuring in the days and weeks to come. You might even refer back to the book from time to time since some of the ideas may be even more helpful or relevant to you later on.

[Possibly add some personalized thoughts or information.]

May God bring you comfort and peace during this time.

Sincerely,
[Or any closing you like to use.]