Film Festival Laurels

Grief is universal, affecting everyone in our communities as we each face the challenges of life transitions in a culture that wants to look the other way.

For those who have ever struggled in knowing what to say or do in the presence of profound loss—your own or someone else’s, the film, “Voices of Grief: Honoring the Sacred Journey” offers a hope-filled new perspective of how to successfully navigate grief, a common reality of the shared human experience.

Grief Companioning Suggestions

 

This award-winning documentary film interweaves individuals’ personal stories of loss and healing together with the insight of nationally renowned experts in the fields of grief and mourning.

The film demonstrates that, while every journey through grief is unique, learning the most supportive things we can do and say is enormously helpful to the person grieving as well as the one who offers companioning.

Please look around our website for more information on our film and how to participate in a screening of our film in your community.

A wonderful example of how to express condolences penned by President Abraham Lincoln in 1862.

 

Lincoln Condolence Letter - LOC

Image is located at the US Library of Congress.

 

Executive Mansion,
Washington, December 23, 1862.

Dear Fanny

It is with deep grief that I learn of the death of your kind and brave Father; and, especially, that it is affecting your young heart beyond what is common in such cases. In this sad world of ours, sorrow comes to all; and, to the young, it comes with bitterest agony, because it takes them unawares. The older have learned to ever expect it. I am anxious to afford some alleviation of your present distress. Perfect relief is not possible, except with time. You can not now realize that you will ever feel better. Is not this so? And yet it is a mistake. You are sure to be happy again. To know this, which is certainly true, will make you some less miserable now. I have had experience enough to know what I say; and you need only to believe it, to feel better at once. The memory of your dear Father, instead of an agony, will yet be a sad sweet feeling in your heart, of a purer and holier sort than you have known before.

Please present my kind regards to your afflicted mother.

Your sincere friend
A. Lincoln

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