Valentine’s Day, like many other holidays, can be especially hard for widows. When we’ve lost the love of our life, it can be another harsh reminder of that loss. Many of our church partners do Valentine’s lunches and dinners and take on the important role of letting widows know that they are seen and not forgotten on this day.
I know many people who often want to do things to support widows in their lives and I love that people recognize that this can be a hard day and want to help. We, here at Stand In The Gap Ministries For Widows, thought it might be helpful to give others a perspective on widowhood and what can be done to support the widows in your lives this Valentine’s Day to help remind them they are loved and seen.
#1 Volunteer at your church or another organization that does a widows program for their widows lunch/dinner. Even if you can’t volunteer, we recognize that a lot of our church partners need monetary and other practical donations to help keep their ministries going, so you can definitely see if there are other ways to help with these events.
#2 Send a card to a widow you know. This can be a simple, “thinking of you” card or a Valentine’s Day card. A simple note saying that you are seen and loved is definitely enough.
#3 Send flowers with a simple note. We know everyone loves flowers and what a special way to remind them that there are other people in their lives that care for them.
#4 Send chocolates or their favorite sweet treat. I mean who doesn’t love a little chocolate to brighten their day?
#5 Take them to lunch or dinner. So often when you are faced with the journey of widowhood, we do everything alone. The person we spent our time with is no longer with us and even those in our lives with the best of intentions, often don’t think about asking us to lunch or dinner.
#6 Stop by for a quick chat and simply let them know that they are thought about.
#7 If you can’t go by and see them in person (or if they don’t live close by), make a phone call or send a text. The simplest of gestures, goes a long way.
#8 Offer to do something around their house. It might be as simple as changing light bulbs, air filters or moving a piece of furniture, but each of those simple gestures means a lot.
#9 Lastly and most importantly, just do something!
Amy Woody
Amy Woody brings her personal experience and passion for helping others to her work with widows. She wants you to never forget you have a purpose and a God-given calling placed on your life, no matter what you've been through! Use your hurt to help others!
