Letters to Your Loved One

I have an appointment with my therapist this week and for my homework, he asked me to complete a couple of exercises. One is a list of questions meant to serve as a letter to the loved one you lost. I thought I would share the instructions and directions for others that might find the exercise helpful.

Writing a letter to your loved one can be a powerful medium for expressing your emotion. Complete all or some of the prompts, then choose to share, save or shred (some people find the latter to provide a sense of release). Speak deeply, from the heart, about what is important in the relationship. Consider what the other has given you, intentionally or unintentionally, of enduring value. Fill in the prompts below or use a blank sheet to delve deeper. 

Dear _________ 

What I have always wanted to tell you is...

What you never understood was...

What I want you to know about me is...

What I now realize is...

The one question I have always wanted to ask is...

What I want you to know about my life is...

I miss not being able to...

I need to ask your forgiveness for...

I feel sad that you won't be here when I...

My most special memory of you is...

What I miss the most is...

You made me proud when you...

I love you because...

If you were here now, I would tell you...

I think if you were here now, you'd tell me...

I am grateful for...

I am going to carry you forward by...

I feel good knowing that...

Thank you for...

 Another exercise my therapist asked me to do is answer prompts to serve as a letter about the loved one you lost. I thought I would share it as well.

(The directions are the same as my previous post)

What did knowing your loved one mean to you...

How and when did you feel close to them...

Are there particular, times, places, or ways in which you recall their importance to you...

What were their moments of greatness in life...

Are there any special stories about them that they would want others to know...

What did they teach you about life, and about how you could manage the challenges you now face...

What advice would they have for you about how to handle loss...