Maybe this seems obvious, but it's an important reminder. It is easy to get caught up in saying the perfect thing. The reality is, this situation is hard, and your card is a way for you to send some love and care to your loved one. Center yourself in that heart space.

This is a real pet peave amongst grievers. We don't need to hear that we should feel lucky because of X thing, we don't need to hear that our person would want us to be happy, we don't need to be told to move on or find the silver lining.

Part of the sadness of a loss is the fear that our person will be forgotten. Feel free to share a sweet memory, or speak about a character trait you loved about their person.

Offer some specifics and avoid the general "I'm here if you need anything." I like to say, "I'm here if you need a hot meal, a listening ear, a laugh, or someone to sit in silence with." Offering these specific invitations signals to our loved one that they can turn to us on hard days.