“Sorry for your loss.”
This is one of the most commonly used phrases when expressing condolences to someone who has lost a loved one. We have all said, written, or typed these words at some point in our lives.
Sorry for Your Loss is also the name of a Facebook show that follows a young widow, played by Elizabeth Olsen, as she struggles to cope with the unexpected death of her husband.
The first episode takes place three months after Leigh’s husband, Matt, passed away. As she tries to put the pieces of her life back together, she often clashes with her mother, her sister, and Matt’s brother.
I just finished the first season, and I really enjoyed it. When you lose someone, it is hard to know exactly how to deal with it. Sorry For Your Loss does a great job of portraying the realities of grief and the uncertainty someone may face after experiencing a loss.
The show was difficult to watch at specific points, but I think that may have been the objective of the show’s creators. Viewers want to turn it off because we are uncomfortable, but you can’t turn off grief when experiencing it.
It was hard to watch Leigh struggle to adjust to life without her husband while others were pushing her to move forward. “I hate how in the beginning everyone wants to send you flowers,” she shares with her brother-in-law, “then they stop calling, writing, and doing nice things for you because they are over it, and they expect you to be over it.” I have worked at the Catholic Cemeteries Association for a couple of months and have spoken to a few families who have lost a loved one. I was shocked to hear that many felt pressured to be done grieving after a certain amount of time had passed. That is unrealistic. It doesn’t matter if it has been weeks, months, or years; there is no timeline for grief.
Watching how each person handled Matt’s death was one aspect of the show that depicted the complexities of grief. He wasn’t just a husband. He was a son, brother, friend, in-law, etc. Each person who lost him had a different relationship with him and watching how his death impacted each of them was interesting. In addition, Sorry for Your Loss showed how people grieve differently. There isn’t one right way to grieve. What might work for someone else might not work for you, and vice versa.
Someone once told me that you grieve when you lose someone special because of your love for that person. In Sorry for Your Loss, Leigh is afraid that when she stops grieving, it means that she no longer loves her late husband. The pain of his loss is her only reminder of their love, and she doesn’t want to lose that. However, the beauty of love is that it does not die. Love will continue in our hearts, and the memories we shared with the departed. Most importantly, love keeps us connected until we are reunited in paradise. The path to Heaven is clear, and love is the key.
Leigh doesn’t handle her grief alone. She has the support of her family, friends, and grief support group. If you are in need of extra support, please join us for our monthly grief support groups. Our In-Person or Virtual Support Groups offer a comfortable and supportive environment, where you’ll find a warm fellowship of people with similar grief experiences. If you have any questions about the support groups, comment below and we will be happy to answer them!
If you’re interested in watching Sorry For Your Loss, click here. Let us know if you plan on watching the show or if you have before by commenting below!
Written by: Paige Muttillo | Marketing Manager | Catholic Cemeteries Association
Faith, Hope, and Remembrance 