Death in the Age of Social Media and Covid

Mourning a Loved One Online

Photo by RODNAE Productions from Pexels

The death of a loved one is an emotional process. It can also be a time of reflection and honor for the deceased. It was not uncommon when someone died for people to gather at a funeral or memorial service before the pandemic happened to offer their sympathies and pay respects.

Things have changed quickly. You don’t have to wait for a midnight call to learn about the death of someone you care about. You can go to Facebook or Twitter and find out right away. We turn to social media to express our feelings and condolences about losing a loved one.

I’ve accepted the fact that these impersonal communications will follow me when I leave this world. A person’s existence becomes a collection of social media posts.

I’ve also fallen into this trap. It’s always a complicated feeling for me to convey my sympathies and offer some words of encouragement. It isn’t easy. It’s even harder when you consider the coldness of communicating over the internet. Our lives …