Can you help me with my grief professionally? Are you a hotline?

No. We are not a hotline, nor can we serve as a counseling center. We have compiled resources to aid you in your quest for support after a loved one has passed. Please, never be afraid to ask anyone for help or advice when you are grieving!

I never heard of the Universal Grieving Symbol™. What is it?

A symbol for grief did not exist until Michele and Kelly McBride created the Universal Grieving Symbol™ in the Fall of 2003. Through research, the sisters discovered that a symbol existed for almost everything else in our society, except for grieving the loss of a loved one.

The symbol is based on the Victorian ideology of publicly acknowledging the death of a loved one. The butterfly and dragonfly have been incorporated into the Universal Grieving Symbol™ design along with a wheat stalk blowing in the wind to symbolically represent the transitions associated with death. It is an undefined and open symbol to encompass all theories and opinions on death, as well as all religious and cultural aspects.

The symbol is not intended to extend grief or to amplify the hurt associated with the loss. In fact, it is the other way around. By publicly wearing the Universal Grieving Symbol™ pin, the wearer can unite with fellow grievers while validating their loss and also open doors of communication with others about their grief. This public display brings people together, lets them share stories and memories, and celebrates or honors milestones.

The Universal Grieving Symboltm pin encourages and offers hope to the griever for it says: I have loss someone I am missing today and it is ok to cry and hurt and feel my emotions. The symbol was crafted out of pure love and promotes a healthy way to grieve...not alone!

Is it appropriate to give a gift of sympathy to a person who is grieving after their loved one has committed suicide?

It is always appropriate to acknowledge a loved one's passing. Even after a tragic outcome, the person is still missing the physical absence of their loved one. Sometimes people are afraid to acknowledge the death because it is associated with a negative stigma. Carole from Tim's House, a suicide support organization, says, "Any gift to honor who that person was or in memory of that person is not only appropriate but a gesture of friendship and support."

Is it appropriate to give a gift anytime after someone has lost a loved one?

Yes. It does not matter how much time has passed or how the person passed away. Acknowledging makes all the difference! Milestones are good days to present a gift: the anniversary of the loved one's death, on the loved one's birthday, holidays or at the funeral. Anytime you acknowledge someone's grief, they will be grateful to you for it.

Why is the company called Luna's Light?

Our company's name was inspired by our sister, Shannon. See the about us page for more details.

How did Shannon pass away?

Shannon passed away two weeks after a tonsillectomy surgery. She experienced complications from the surgery that inevitably took her life on July 29, 2003. Shannon was twenty-two years old.