Grief is something that nobody wants to go through. However, it is undeniable that we will always lose those close to us, whether friends or relatives.
When we go through losses, it is evident that people will sympathize with us, and some will express their sympathy by sending sympathy cards.
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So, How Long Should You Display Sympathy Cards in Your Home?
It all depends on the closeness you had with the deceased and the person who sent you the sympathy card. Time heals, and so you should wait until you are fully healed. How you feel when seeing the cards all over your home also determines how long they should be there.
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Three Factors That Determines How Long You Should Display The Sympathy Cards
Seeing sympathy cards at home bring different feeling for every individual.
It means there are several determinants on how long the cards should be displayed at home. Let’s have a look at some of them:
1. How Close Were You To The Deceased?
When we lose people around us, we struggle to let go of them and move on with our lives.
This is a journey that might be experienced differently by different people.
For instance, some would wish to do away with anything about the deceased so they can quickly forget about them.
To such people, seeing sympathy cards displayed all over the home might affect them so that they will end up mourning for longer than they should.
Therefore, if you belong to this group, let go of the cards immediately from your friends. Don’t display them. Just receive them, express your appreciation, and keep them away. This will fasten your healing process.
On the other hand, there are people who, when they lose their loved ones, feel comfortable with memories around them.
The memories make them think that the deceased is just in another place, maybe a better place, so there is no need for prolonged mourning.
To such people, seeing the sympathy cards makes them feel like the memories are alive.
If you fall into this category, there’s no need to get away with the cards. Let them give you the comfort that everything is okay.
In such instances, keep the cards as long as you want them saved. If anything, when you finally heal, you will realize that the cards are not even near you. And this is the best healing experience.
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2. What Is Your Relationship With The Person Sending You The Card?
The relationship with the person sending you the card also matters.
You see a level of genuine heart when a person so close to you can send you a card. It feels genuine sorry that they care for you.
If you receive a card from someone you love dearly, you can have it displayed for as long as you wait until you heal from the loss.
Have a clear connection of what you feel for the deceased and the person sending the card, as well as your emotional state, so that you can make a sober decision on whether to have it or not.
However, receiving a card from someone who seems not to care about you would be some form of irony.
You will not feel sorry for them. Instead, they will end up hurting you so much for no reason. You will feel they don’t care about your feelings but are relatively happy.
Unfortunately, at times you can feel so far from some people because of their character, but then they are unaware, so they will keep sending the cards.
The best you can do is to do away with such cards immediately after they are delivered. You don’t deserve to go through a double state of being hurt.
3. The Emotional Condition Of The Home Occupants
Are you staying alongside others who also felt bereaved in one way or another?
Keep them also in mind.
You might feel okay with the cards displayed at home, but some of them hurt when the memories are kept alive.
You, therefore, need to have a candid conversation with the other house occupants to have their view concerning everything that is happening.
Please do not ignore them. If they tell you they are comfortable, you can display the cards.
If they are uncomfortable, even if it is one person out of ten, it is wise to consider them and help your family heal.
Every individual is essential, and no feeling should be ignored.