Post written by Suraj Shah.
Have you recently experienced the loss of a close friend?
Friends come and go in our life. Some of the best ones stick around for a very long time, particularly when life becomes difficult and they are around to help us see through the toughest of times.
However, when a person dies, society’s belief is that the immediate family constitute the rightful mourners, and only they are deserving of condolences and support. Unfortunately, this means that friends of the deceased are generally forgotten about.
When a close friend dies and you have been forgotten, what can you do about it?
1. Attend the public mourning service
By attending the mourning service, such as a funeral, wake or prayer meeting, you get a chance to pay your last respects, along with many of the other people that your friend knew.
2. Participate in the family’s mourning
You may also have the opportunity to visit the home where your friend lived and spend time with the family, supporting them at home with any chores, or being around to lend a compassionate ear. They may even ask you to take on a role to replace an absent family member (such as being one of the pallbearers at the funeral).
3. Organise your own memorial service with other friends
In case you didn’t find out about the death till it was too late and missed the funeral, hold your own memorial service to honour your friend’s passing. By involving other participants, you have a wonderful opportunity to find out more about your friend’s life and discover ways to support others who are grieving the loss.
Remember your friend, embrace their qualities
Even though not everyone will understand how important your friendship was, do take the time to reflect on magic moments you shared together and your friend’s qualities that you can embrace and carry forward into your everyday life.