Words of Comfort from the Celebrant

I want to say something to those of you who are feeling the weight of this loss most keenly.

Grief is the price we pay for love, and the depth of your sorrow today is a measure of how much this person meant to you. That is nothing to be ashamed of. It is something to be honoured.

In the coming days and weeks, you may feel as though the world has moved on while you are standing still. You may wonder how the sun can rise and the traffic can flow and life can carry on as if nothing has happened. But something has happened. Someone irreplaceable has gone from your life, and it is right that you feel it.

Be patient with yourselves. Lean on the people around you. Accept help when it is offered. And know that, slowly, gently, the sharp edges of grief will soften, not because you forget, but because love finds a way to transform even the deepest sorrow into something you can carry.

You are held. You are cared for. And you are not alone.