How to Genuinely Comfort Someone Who is Grieving

A third, often overlooked, element is the necessity of listening more than you speak. When you are with someone who is grieving, your role is not to fill the silence but to hold it. Allow them to talk about their loved one, to share memories, to cry, or even to express anger and confusion, without interruption or redirection. Active listening means paying attention not just to their words, but to the emotions beneath them, and responding with genuine compassion. They may need to tell the same story multiple times; each retelling is a part of their processing, and your patience in hearing it is a powerful gift.